


Redwood

by bromfieldhall



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Romance, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-01-20
Packaged: 2018-02-16 03:12:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 39,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2253675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bromfieldhall/pseuds/bromfieldhall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We're up, guys. Another body has been found dumped along the 299 a few miles south of Willow Creek this time."</p><p> Jane and Lisbon are forced into a deadly game when they try to catch what they think is a new serial killer. </p><p>JANE/LISBON. Set some time after season five episode, 'Red Sails in the Sunset'. Goes AU from there. Some minor spoilers. </p><p>Rated T for minor language.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: "The Mentalist" is copyrighted to CBS and Bruno Heller. I retain rights to the plot, but not the characters. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

"We're up, guys. Another body has been found dumped along the 299 a few miles south of Willow Creek this time. Male, shot multiple times. Looks like the same M.O. as all the others. It's going to be an overnighter so get your stuff and meet back here in five," ordered Agent Teresa Lisbon of the California Bureau of Investigations as she walked into the Serious Crimes Unit's bullpen carrying her own 'go-bag'.

Agents Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt immediately began the process of closing down their stations while they gathered their things together in readiness to leave.

Lisbon looked across the room to where her blond consultant, Patrick Jane, was laying prone on his old brown couch and frowned. She walked over and looked down at him suspiciously. He appeared to be asleep, but having seen him truly in the arms of Morpheus many times before, she'd come to recognise when he was faking it.

He was definitely faking it now.

"Get up," the brunette commanded as she nudged the sofa.

"Can't you see I'm sleeping, Lisbon?" Jane murmured without opening his eyes.

"No. All I see is someone trying to avoid doing some work," she countered wryly. "Now get up. We've a long drive ahead of us."

He groaned and let out a dramatically long sigh before opening his eyes and pushing himself up to sit.

"Can't I at least have some tea first?" he asked hopefully.

"No."

"You're a hard woman, Lisbon," the blond grumbled as he got up and smoothed down his dark blue, three piece suit. "Denying a man one of the only things that gives him some small amount of pleasure in this harsh world of ours."

"Cut the crap, you know we'll stop for something on the way. Just get your stuff," she retorted with a roll of her eyes. She began to walk away then turned and added, almost as an afterthought, "And don't bring that damn notebook with you. If I have to listen to you going through your list again the whole way to the scene it'll drive me nuts."

She ignored the flash of annoyance that crossed his face at her last statement and stalked off to the elevator without waiting for a reply. His obsession with the serial killer, Red John, who had murdered his family had always been bordering on madness, but his latest insane stunts in order to get one of the murderer's accomplices, Lorelei Martins, to give him information had had him meander well over that invisible line.

Promising her leniency, breaking her out of prison, almost killing himself in a car crash, not to mention that she strongly suspected that he'd simply just let her go…the best lead they'd ever had to finding Red John. Gone.

And she didn't even want to start down the torturous, mucked up kind of illogical road that had made him decide to sleep with the crazy woman in the first place.

It had hurt enough just knowing he'd done the deed with someone else, she didn't need to punish herself with imagining it too. It's not like she and Jane were a couple or anything. Far from it…but still, he had said those words to her and now she found she couldn't let it go.

If she were honest with herself, she'd got to the point where she just wasn't sure how to handle him anymore. She was just so angry all the time, not only with him but the entire situation, that she could barely find it within herself to grace him with a civil word. It was making working together a nightmare but she couldn't seem to stop.

Maybe she should have just let him pretend to sleep after all. God knows, they could both do with the break, but at the same time she was worried what he'd get up to if she and the team weren't around to keep an eye on him.

Ever since Lorelei had told him he'd shaken hands with Red John, he'd become a walking time bomb. If he got it into his head that he'd puzzled out the killer's true identity, she knew he wouldn't wait around for them to come back. He'd be off hunting the person down all on his own, without back-up…without her to make sure he got out of it alive.

She gave an involuntary shudder at the thought.

"Feeling cold?" Jane's voice asked suddenly.

He was so close she felt his breath tickle her ear, making her jump. She'd been so deep in thought she hadn't even noticed his approach. Closing her eyes briefly, she willed her startled heart to slow down it's beating, although whether it was from the surprise or his nearness she wasn't quite sure. She took a step back to regain some distance and composure then turned her head and pinned him with her stormy, emerald green gaze.

"No. Just thinking of having to spend the next five hours alone in a car with you," she replied dryly before letting out an exaggerated sigh. "It's a dirty job but someone has to do it."

Her comment took the edge off of his friendly smile and the warmth in his blue eyes cooled.

"My, my, my, such piety in your resignation, Lisbon. You didn't just earn your nickname in San Francisco, you own it, my dear," he goaded tersely before walking off.

"Just where do you think you're going?" she demanded irately, refusing to allow him to see how much he'd hurt her feelings with his gibe.

"To the bathroom. It's a long journey," he answered curtly over his shoulder. "Unless you're going to deny me that as well?"

He didn't expect an answer and she didn't give one. Instead, she turned back to the elevator and jabbed the call button hard. He really was the most aggravating individual she'd ever met in her entire life and he knew exactly what to say to upset her the most. Usually, she didn't go out of her way to bait him but everything had been so off kilter between them lately that she'd thrown her usual caution to the wind. She should have known that he'd come back with something even more cutting.

The elevator door slid open and she entered the cabin gratefully. She felt drained just from their little altercation, how the hell was she going to cope all the way to the crime scene?

She reached the ground floor and stepped out through the foyer and into the parking lot. The air was warm but not too hot and she enjoyed the moment of being outside in the fresh air. Too many days in the office weren't good for anyone. She immediately thought of Jane holed up in his musty old attic, sitting hunched over the rickety desk as he obsessively flicked through his well-thumbed notebook. It wasn't a pretty image.

As she drew near her SUV, she saw that the rest of team were already in their own vehicle ready to head out. She glanced over and gave them a nod and tight smile then looked back over at the CBI building hoping to see Jane, but he didn't appear. She checked her watch and decided to give it five minutes then she was going to leave anyway. She couldn't force him to come along and quite honestly she couldn't be bothered to try anymore.

She opened her car then dumped her bag in the back before getting into the driver's seat. Once settled, she checked the glove box and under the seat to make sure she had her spare guns and clips…even though she already knew that she did. Then she checked that the directions she'd programmed into the satellite navigation system were correct…twice. Ten minutes later, after making triple sure she'd got everything she needed in her go-bag and that she had some cash, she decided to quit stalling and just leave. Jane wasn't coming.

She started the engine then signalled out of the window to the others and put her car in gear. Just as she was about to pull away, out of the corner of her eye she noticed her consultant sauntering out of the building, hands in pockets, as if he hadn't a care in the world.

The sunlight made his blond, wavy hair seem more golden than usual as he stopped a moment then closed his eyes and tilted his face up towards the sky. A small smile graced his features while he enjoyed the warmth for a few seconds before he took a deep breath then opened his eyes and resumed his leisurely pace.

Her lips pressed almost painfully together in annoyance as she put the car back into neutral and watched him approach. Part of her really wanted to simply drive away but the other part…the part that cared for him far too much just wouldn't let her do it.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting?" he commented cheerfully as he finally clambered into the SUV.

Lisbon scowled at his flippancy but remained silent on the subject. Knowing him, he'd been watching her the entire time just waiting for her to make a move before he'd come out. She was used to his ways by now.

"Where's your stuff?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Right here," he answered with a smile, pulling a brand new, still packaged toothbrush out of one jacket pocket and a tube of toothpaste out of the other. "I keep a spare shirt in Rigsby's bag. He hasn't realised yet."

Lisbon shook her head then placed the car into gear and set off on their journey with the team close behind. If she were lucky he'd catch up on that sleep he'd pretended he was having for real. Unfortunately, her hopes on that accord were swiftly dashed.

"So, what do you want to talk about, Lisbon?" her consultant queried nonchalantly as he looked out of the window. "The case? The weather? The reason you're so angry with me lately?"

"I'm not," she automatically refuted, the irritation clear in her tone.

"Case in point," he countered casually, his gaze never leaving the passing scenery.

The dark haired woman bit back a retort and took a deep breath, trying to calm her agitated nerves.

"Let's just listen to some music, shall we?" she suggested, her voice overly sweet and slightly patronising.

If there was one thing Jane disliked more than Lisbon being angry with him, it was when she refused to acknowledge there was a problem. It was bothersome and frustrating but he'd let it be for now. In the meantime he could be equally exasperating.

"You listen. I think I'll have a read," he declared blithely.

Reaching into his inside pocket, he pulled out his notebook and pen then turned to the first page with a flourish. He saw Lisbon glance over then noted the way her hands gripped the steering wheel a little tighter once she realised what he held. She remained silent, resolutely staring at the road in front of her but he could tell from the tensing of her posture that she was more than a little annoyed he'd brought it with him.

What did she honestly think he'd do? Leave it behind? Pretend that this wasn't one of the biggest leads he'd ever had to catch Red John?

He still couldn't quite believe that he'd actually met and shaken hands with the man who had killed his wife and daughter and not immediately seen it in his eyes. Known he was looking at the man who had made his life a living hell. That there hadn't been some kind of tell; that he hadn't noticed something.

He turned another page and looked at the list of names he'd written there then thought back to when he'd first met each one, trying to remember if there had been anything in their demeanour he'd missed. He did the same thing every day just hoping something would click. Some small insignificant twitch of the eye or hint of nervousness he'd forgotten. But nothing ever did.

They continued on, the occasional rustle of a page turning the only sound breaking the strained silence between them.

As time wore on, Jane determinedly tried to focus on the names but his gaze and thoughts kept straying to the woman beside him. He hated having this distance that had grown between them lately and for once in his life he wasn't sure how to broach the ever-widening chasm. He wasn't even certain that he should. It was for her own protection, wasn't it? Now he was so close to finding Red John, maybe it was better if he maintained this rift…however much it pained him to do so. What was a little more suffering in his life?

Then again, judging from the snide comments Lorelei made, his feelings for Lisbon weren't a secret from Red John anymore anyway. Probably hadn't been for a while. Was it worth even attempting to carry on the façade that he hadn't come to love this strong willed, stubborn, beautiful woman who remained doggedly by his side no matter what?

He certainly couldn't fool himself that she wasn't on the killer's radar any longer…and he had told her how he felt, even though he'd hedged like the emotional coward he was when she'd called him on it. Still, could he really put his fears for her safety aside enough to actually try and have some kind of relationship with her?

Push her away or keep her close? There wasn't even any contest. He couldn't do without her, it was as simple as that.

"I'm stopping for lunch," Lisbon said suddenly, interrupting his internal debate, as she pulled over into a well-known diner's parking lot.

Her sharp tone grated on his nerves and tugged at his heart. He knew that the reckless way he'd acted recently was to blame for her current behaviour. He saw the concern and worry in her eyes even though she did her best to cloak it with anger. He understood that she thought his obsession was spiralling fast out of control, making him do things that had her convinced that he still had no regard for his own life where catching the serial killer was concerned.

But she was wrong. Very wrong. More than anything he wanted to stay alive for her.

He shot the brunette another quick look then put his notebook and pen back in his jacket pocket. As miserable as it made him to think about it, he had to recognise that maybe this time he'd gone too far in his schemes and concealment. That even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to close the gap entirely between them. Perhaps never be that close to her ever again.

His stomach churned slightly at the sobering thought but it didn't deter him from wanting to try and rebuild that particular bridge.

Once they'd come to a halt, he undid his seatbelt and looked over to say something only to see that she had exited the vehicle almost before she'd got the keys out of the ignition. Apparently, his attempts were going to have to wait.

He got out and joined Lisbon and the rest of the team in the diner. Lunch was a reasonably quiet affair with both the senior agent and consultant remaining silent throughout much of it. A few concerned looks were exchanged between their colleagues but then Lisbon declared it was time to go and they all got up to dutifully obey.

Back on their way again, Jane let out a sigh and switched on the radio, station hopping until he found one that he liked. He settled back into his seat and hummed along to the nostalgic Dean Martin song under his breath as he watched the vibrant scenery fly by.

They had left the I5 and were on the 299 heading through Trinity National Forest. Tall evergreen trees lined the roadway as they got nearer to their destination.

Lisbon watched him covertly out the corner of her eye. She'd been so sure he'd open that wretched book of his the moment they'd returned to the car and the fact that he hadn't irritated her a little. Why couldn't he just be predictable for once?

"I thought you preferred reading to music?" she couldn't resist asking sardonically.

Jane turned his head to look at her, eyebrows raised at her unprovoked attack.

"Contrary to what you think, Lisbon, I didn't bring my notebook along just to annoy you," he replied evenly. "I merely wanted to keep it safe. For it to be near the people whom I trust implicitly."

"By people, you mean you, of course," she retorted derisively.

"And you. And the team," he added slowly; deliberately. He paused and stared at her a moment before continuing in a sombre voice, "No matter what has happened or may happen in the future, Lisbon, I always want you to remember that, OK? Promise me."

Taken aback at his admission, the agent chanced a glance at him and was further surprised by the sincere expression on his face. She saw it so rarely, especially nowadays, that the most she could manage by way of an acknowledgement as an awkward nod of her head. Jane seemed satisfied by her response, however, and went back to looking out of his window.

Lisbon drove on for a couple more minutes then suddenly let out a heavy sigh before offering in a very long suffering tone, "OK, I give up. Let's go through that list of yours again. Maybe one of those names will pop this time."

The blond immediately returned his gaze to her and after a few seconds of incredulous perusal he suddenly grinned. Needing no second word of encouragement, he quickly got out his book and eagerly rifled through a few pages before looking back over at her.

"Ready?" he asked, expectantly. Off her nod he smirked and read out the first name. "Walter Mashburn."

Lisbon rolled her eyes and tutted. She had a feeling the remainder of the trip would be a long one.

END CHAPTER 1


	2. Chapter 2

Lisbon slammed her car door shut and waited for Jane and the rest of the team to join her before striding over to where the local Sheriff stood and waited by the roadside. He was a well built man in his late forties. His chestnut brown hair was greying slightly at the temples lending him a distinguished air of authority.

"Agent Lisbon?" he queried, holding out his hand for her to shake. "I'm Andy Newland, county Sheriff. I called you about our victim."

"Yes. It's good to meet you," Lisbon replied, shaking his hand before turning and introducing the rest of the team. "This is our consultant, Patrick Jane, and Agents Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt."

Newland touched his hat respectfully and nodded a greeting to the rest of the team then turned and led them a few hundred yards down a forest track towards a cordoned off area where there were several police officers milling around a large tarp canopy erected for protection against the elements.

"We've done our best to keep the direct sunlight off, but Hicks has been clamouring to remove the body for the past five hours," Newland told them as they came to a halt by the tented construction.

"Who's Hicks?" Jane asked.

"Coroner from Eureka. He's concerned that any evidence trace could be compromised because of the heat," the Sheriff explained as he bent forward and pulled back a piece of the tarp so that they could enter the makeshift tent.

"You guys take a look around and talk to the other officers; see if they've found anything," she ordered the rest of the team before she and Jane went in to look at the body.

It was a young man of athletic build. He was in running gear but he had a shoe missing and one of his sleeves appeared to have been ripped off. There were three gunshot wounds to his chest and a cut to his exposed arm that Jane immediately thought was out of odds. Leaves and twigs clung to his clothing and hair but as there was no blood pool present, it supported the theory that he'd been killed somewhere else and then dumped. The consultant knelt down and began to inspect the body more closely, drawing a disgusted expression from the Sheriff.

"He always do that?" he asked in repugnance.

"Pretty much, yeah," replied Lisbon casually before then asking, "What can you tell us about the victim?"

The brown haired man spared Jane one last incredulous glance then flipped open his notebook and ran through the list of details he'd written there.

"His name is Daniel Miller, age 19. Lived at home with his parents in Blue Lake, no priors. Been missing for a week. I went and spoke to his family when they first reported it. They said he was hoping to have a career in boxing and he was out for a run as part of his training regime but he never came home."

"Poor kid," Lisbon murmured as she gazed down at the deceased youth. So young to have lost his life. "Have you informed his parents that you've found him yet?"

The older man let out a sigh and nodded. It obviously hadn't been easy.

"You think this is the same guy who killed those others?" he queried.

"We won't know until…" began Lisbon, only to be interrupted by another voice.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

She turned to see a skinny man with thinning, sandy coloured hair standing at the entrance of the canopy staring furiously at Jane.

"And you are?" Lisbon asked with a touch of annoyance at his sudden appearance.

"Ah, you must be Hicks," Jane cheerfully interceded as he quickly stood then stepped over the body and held out his hand to the slightly shorter man. "I'm Patrick Jane, CBI consultant."

Hicks' brown eyes narrowed slightly as he ignored the proffered hand and held up his own, rubber glove encased digits.

"Then you should know better than to go crawling all over the evidence," he retorted as he brushed past Jane and Lisbon and looked down at Miller as if searching for some sign that the consultant had left any trace of himself somewhere on the dead boys' person.

"I didn't touch anything," the blond assured him lightly.

Hicks merely grunted in response then looked at Lisbon and requested brusquely, "Now that you've finally got here, can I take him? I don't want to waste any more time."

The brunette bristled with irritation at the man's tone but nodded her compliance. They weren't realistically going to find anything that would help them anyway. She turned and walked out of the makeshift tent, giving Jane's arm a tug on the way past so that he would follow.

"I bet he wasn't nominated 'Most Congenial' in his yearbook," the consultant commented as they walked over to the rest of the team where they were standing by the SUV.

"No, more like, 'Most Likely To Piss People Off," she said then shot him a glance and added with a small smile, "Like someone else I know."

Jane grinned at her joke. He wasn't offended. He knew he could be an ass at times.

"Did you get anything?" she asked in general when they'd joined the team.

"No, looks like this was same as the other five," Cho answered.

"I thought it might be," the brunette said in a resigned tone then let out a sigh. They'd only been handed over the case the day before so, although they all knew the basic details, they hadn't really had time to go over the files as thoroughly as she would have liked before they'd landed another victim. "OK, look, it's getting late. We're booked into the Quality Inn at Arcata; you go there and get checked in and I'll follow on when I've finished here. We can meet for dinner at about eight and go over the files. Maybe we'll find something that the local's missed."

The team nodded their agreement. They were all tired from the long drive and could do with some time to freshen up and eat.

Expecting them to all do as she'd directed, she went over to Hicks and told him that she'd be by to see him the following day regarding the autopsy results. He hadn't seemed particularly pleased but the brunette figured that it was par for the course when it came to that man. She then went and spoke to Sheriff Newland and he agreed to send over all the details he had about Miller to their hotel.

Finally, she headed back to the SUV to find Jane lounging nonchalantly against the front grille with a grin on his face. She should have known he wouldn't have left with the rest of the team.

"Get in," she said as she passed by him but he gently caught hold of her arm to stop her from walking away.

"Wait, Lisbon, just pause a moment to take in our surroundings," he urged with a smile as his free arm gestured to the woodlands around them. "Listen to the birds singing, look how green everything is, smell all that fresh air and pine."

He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, savouring the rich aroma of nature itself before exhaling slowly.

Lisbon also drew in a sharp breath, but it wasn't to enjoy the scent of the trees; it was because she simply couldn't take her eyes off of the man in front of her. The waning rays of the sun caressed his face, bathing it in a warm glow that enhanced the pure joy that seemed to radiate from within him. He took such pleasure from the simple things around him at times that she almost forgot how tortured he really was inside.

With his eyes still shut, she couldn't help but let her gaze slide down the column of his tanned throat to the vee of his white shirt that stood out in stark contrast to his navy suit. She swallowed convulsively. The amount of times she'd wondered what it would be like to press her lips to his neck; flick her tongue over his rapidly beating pulse point; feel his skin under her finger tips as she trailed them down and under his shirt…

She felt his hand tighten around her arm suddenly, breaking the spell of her wishful daydreaming and causing her to bring her startled gaze back to his face.

His eyes were open now and he was staring at her with a mixture of curiosity and puzzlement that quickly transformed into a knowing smile of amusement as she felt a telltale heat invade her cheeks.

Mouth tightening in annoyance, more with herself than him, she roughly pulled her arm from his grip and turned away.

"Let's go," she ordered curtly as she got into the SUV and quickly snapped her seatbelt into place.

Jane followed suit and calmly strapped himself in unable to keep the small smile that was tugging at his mouth. He'd be damned if Lisbon wasn't just checking him out. Oh, it was subtle, but he recognised the signs; the minute parting of her lips, the slightly deepened breathing, the pupil dilation…not to mention that wonderful giveaway blush when she'd realised she'd been caught. She'd looked adorable and so, so awkward. He loved that he was the one that had caused her consternation. It meant she wasn't so immune to him as she liked to pretend. He could work with that…should he ever find the courage to do so.

The journey to the hotel took around fifty minutes with neither of them inclined to make much in the way of conversation. After they both checked in, Lisbon couldn't get away from Jane quick enough. She was mortified at being caught practically ogling the blond and the drive back had been uncomfortable at best, although her consultant hadn't seemed unduly bothered. Naturally, that had irritated her even more.

She just wasn't used to having such an obvious lapse of mental self-control. It wouldn't do for Jane to catch on that she felt anything more for him than friendship. If he did, she knew he wouldn't hesitate to use it against her if the need should ever arise. It sounded harsh even in her own head, but her consultant had made it very clear on more than one occasion recently that when it came to his pursuit of Red John, nothing and no-one was sacred anymore.

She found her room and once inside saw that it was comfy and functional; she'd certainly stayed in worse places during their cases away from Sacramento. Glancing at the time, she decided on a quick shower and a change of clothes. Once clean and refreshed, she quickly blow-dried her hair then slipped on a pair of black jeans and a simple light grey scoop necked top. Not the most inspiring choice of eveningwear she supposed as she eyed herself critically in the bathroom mirror, but then again, she wasn't trying to impress anyone anyway. Was she?

Shaking her head, she left the bathroom then grabbed her wallet and key card from the small nightstand and shoved them into her pocket. Next she picked up the case file folders from beside her bed then finally exited the room to meet the rest of the team for dinner. By the time she reached the restaurant, the others were already there seated at a table, reading through their menus.

There was a chair free next to Jane and one next to Cho. She glanced at her consultant who raised his eyebrows and nodded discretely to the seat next to him, then opted for the latter, ignoring the grin that graced the blonds face at her snub.

"What looks good?" she asked as she sat down and placed the files on the table.

"Everything," Rigsby replied with a grin.

"Is that what you're having?" Cho quipped wryly as he continued to peruse the list of choices in front of him.

"I bet I could," the tall agent responded easily.

Interest piqued, Cho looked up, sensing the chance to win a quick few bucks but Lisbon forestalled any horseplay because she needed them to focus on the case.

"Let's not put that to the test, shall we?" she suggested firmly before quickly looking her own menu. "I think I'll have the steak."

There was a general murmur of agreement then the waiter arrived to take their orders. Once placed, Lisbon handed out the files for everyone to look at.

"This is what we have from the other local police departments that have handled the case up until now. Let's go through them and see if there's anything that connects these guys."

"Newland dropped off the file for Daniel Miller by the way," Jane said as he held up another folder. "I was passing through the lobby when he turned up."

"Great, thanks. You can look through that one too," she replied blithely, sparing him a quick glance before going back to her own file.

The consultant decided not to push it. She was obviously still annoyed and probably a little embarrassed about earlier and he knew better than to aggravate her when she was in that kind of mood.

Dinner was served and they shared details of the case between bites, trying to piece together any motive that might link the six men that had been murdered. At first there didn't appear to be anything apart from the fact that they had all been shot with a .30 calibre hunting rifle somewhere before being dumped near the side of a road a couple of days to a week after they'd been reported missing. Their ages ranged from 19 to 38, they each came from a different town in the surrounding area and four of them had jobs, the other two didn't.

"Wait, didn't Newland say that Miller was out running when he went missing?" Lisbon queried suddenly.

"Yes, he did," Jane concurred then shuffled a couple of papers around in the victim file he held and looked back at her with a smile as he revealed, "Jacob Simmons was out running too. Redwood National Park."

The others immediately checked their files and one by one read out that their victim had been out exercising in Redwood too. They'd found the link. Not that it would be too helpful. The forest was a huge place; one that they couldn't possibly be checked for any kind of evidence that six murders had been committed there but at least they could assume it was where the victims were killed before being dumped.

Technically, due to the number of victims and the fact that the homicides had happened over the course of the past eight months, it would class the murderer as a serial killer. But Jane wasn't convinced. Something felt off about the killings; like he was missing some vital piece of information, but he couldn't for the life of him fathom out what it was. He certainly wasn't going to get it from the files. He needed to have a good look at Miller's body again. Maybe he'd missed something earlier.

"OK, that's enough for tonight," Lisbon announced once dinner was over. She held out her hand and took back the files before standing up. "Enjoy the rest of your evening but don't forget we have an early start tomorrow morning. I want to revisit all the sites the victims were found and speak to their families again. We need to find out if they ran a particular route. With any luck we can narrow down the area that they were taken from and go from there."

The team nodded and she bade them a quick goodnight before heading off back to her room. She wanted to go through the files again by herself and make up some notes before she spoke to any relations. She needed to all the facts in straight in her head, she hated going in unprepared.

"Who wants a drink?" asked Rigsby, looking around the table expectantly.

"I will," said Cho immediately.

"Me, too," replied Grace with a nod.

"Jane?" queried Rigsby when the consultant remained quiet.

"Sure. Why not?" he acceded with a smile.

The others got up and he followed after them casting a lingering look in the direction Lisbon had gone. He wished that she'd stayed but he had to admit that she'd looked tired. Not that she was going back to her room to sleep anytime soon, of that he was certain. Knowing her, she'd be burning the midnight oil long after the rest of the team had retired for the night.

He sat with the others and idly listened to them chat about sports and grouse about the guys from Fraud who apparently were a 'bunch of losers' according to Rigsby. After half an hour of his mind insistently wandering back to Lisbon and how she'd looked at him that afternoon, he decided he'd had enough of being social and told them he was turning in for night.

He headed off down the corridor to his room but walked right past his door and two others before coming to a halt in front of the third. He glanced left and right then seeing no one around he raised his hand and knocked firmly on the door. He waited a few moments and ducked his head closer, trying to hear if there were any movement from inside.

Suddenly the door flew open and a very disgruntled Lisbon stood before him, arms crossed. Apart from not wearing her shoes, she was still dressed and when he looked over her shoulder into the room beyond, he could see that suspicions were correct; the case files were spread out all over the bed.

"It's late. What do you want?" she demanded with a frown.

"To help you of course," he stated as if surprised that she hadn't realised that. He brushed past her into the room then grabbed a chair and moved it over to the side of the bed. Discarding his jacket, he hung it on the back of the chair then rolled up his sleeves and sat down. Completely ignoring her, he picked up a nearby file then opened it and began to read as he settled more comfortably onto his seat.

Lisbon stared at him from the doorway uncertainly for a moment, her arm still tingling from the brief contact. Considering the way her mind had been wandering today, having Patrick Jane in her room was probably a bad idea. Still, she couldn't deny she could use the help and some company would probably keep her awake. Letting out a heavy sigh, she pushed the door shut.

"You want some tea?" she asked, heading over to the tea maker.

"Lovely. Thanks," he murmured not taking his eyes off the paperwork.

She made the brew then handed him a cup before sitting back down on the bed where she continued on with the notes she'd been compiling. They worked well together and it was just over an hour and half later when they were finally done.

"I heard you telling Hicks that you're going to see him tomorrow," Jane said once she finished placing the files neatly in a pile. "Mind if I come along?"

"Sure," she agreed readily then frowned slightly. "Any particular reason?"

"Not really," he denied with a shake of his head. "It's just that he performed the autopsy's on all the bodies and apart from the obvious wounds and the basics he's never reported finding any trace of evidence. Not even a partial."

"It's probably because the bodies are being left exposed to the elements. Simmons had been dead two days by the time he was found and it had rained too," she pointed out reasonably.

"True, but I'd still like to come along and have a little chat," the blond insisted. "I want to look over Miller's body again as well. There was a cut on his arm that looked too clean to just be a scratch. I want to know what he says about that."

"Really?" she queried, digesting the piece of information before making a decision. "Fine, we'll go first thing after breakfast."

Jane grinned and nodded then stood up in preparation to leave.

"Well, I'd better go so you can get some sleep," he said, his expression softening at her obviously tired state.

"Yeah, you need to get some rest too," she replied as she glanced at the clock and saw that it was past midnight. "I thought we'd finish up quicker than this. Sorry."

"No problem," he replied easily as he stretched his arms above his head then rolled his shoulders to work out a kink from where he'd been sitting hunched over.

The action pulled his shirt out a little from his waistband and Lisbon found her gaze drawn to the tiny patch of tanned skin that had been inadvertently revealed. She briefly wondered if there were any part of him that hadn't been kissed by the sun then realising the potential danger of those kind of thoughts she quickly looked away and walked over to the door, opening it for him. It was late and he needed to go.

"Goodnight," she said curtly.

Jane dropped his arms to his side, baffled at her unexpected change in demeanour. He'd wanted to sort out his shirt and put on his jacket before he left but the look on her face told him he'd suddenly more than outstayed his welcome and he thought it prudent to just go.

Sometimes he just didn't understand the enigma that was Lisbon. Letting out a sigh, he picked up his jacket and walked over to the door. When he drew level, she moved back a little so that he could go past her into the corridor. Just as he stepped out, he caught sight of Cho and Rigsby heading towards him, obviously just coming back from the bar.

As soon as they noticed him they stopped dead in their tracks, eyes wide at the realisation that he was leaving their boss' room just gone midnight looking plainly dishevelled.

Naturally, being Jane, he couldn't resist turning back to Lisbon with one of his most charming grins.

"I enjoyed this evening, Teresa," he said, his tone intimate yet still loud enough so that the shocked agents could hear. "If you want me again, you know where I am."

He turned and walked away before she could answer then slung his jacket over his arm as he sauntered towards the two men.

"Night, Cho; Night, Rigsby," he acknowledged each of the dumbfounded agents pleasantly as he walked past tucking his shirt back into his trousers. "Don't let the bed bugs bite."

He entered his room and couldn't help the chuckle that escaped as switched on the light and tossed his jacket over a nearby chair. He hadn't had that much fun in months. It felt good to tease the guys again and really, it wasn't his fault that they'd immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion when they saw him leaving Lisbon's room…he just hadn't done anything to dispel their assumptions.

He undressed quickly then, after visiting the bathroom, got into bed with a sigh. At least he was happy in the knowledge that Lisbon would be getting some much-needed sleep.

He just wished he could allow himself to do the same.

Leaning over the side of the bed he reached for his jacket then pulled the worn notebook out of the pocket and opened it up to stare at all the familiar names.

Someone on his list was Red John and he wasn't going to rest until he'd worked out whom.

END CHAPTER 2


	3. Chapter 3

"Did you think that Cho and Rigsby were acting a little odd at breakfast this morning?" Lisbon asked Jane as they drove to see Hicks at his office in Eureka.

"Odd?" her consultant hedged as he glanced over at her and shifted a little uncomfortably on the passenger seat. "In what way?"

"Oh, I don't know. They seemed on edge and kept giving each other weird looks," she tried to explain.

They had indeed Jane acknowledged to himself as he bit back a smile and gazed out of the window. It had amused him greatly.

"Meh, they probably just got hammered last night and didn't want you to find out they had a raging hangover," he dismissed lightly. "I'm pretty certain I saw Rigsby take a couple of Advil with his orange juice."

Lisbon frowned as she thought his explanation over then finally nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah, you're probably right.

"My dear, Lisbon, when are you going to accept that I'm always right?" he countered smugly, drawing the conversation away from further speculation on the two male agents rather unusual behaviour.

"About the time Hell freezes over," she retorted breezily.

"Well, with the ozone layer being what it is and the increasingly peculiar weather we've been experiencing over the past few years, that might become a reality sooner than you think," he stated glibly.

"Oh, please," she muttered, rolling her eyes at his words.

The journey to Eureka only took around fifteen minutes and they soon pulled up in front of the Coroner's office and got out.

"Just let me do the talking, OK?" Lisbon ordered as they entered the building.

"Of course," Jane agreed, far too easily for her liking.

She gave him a suspicious look but when he merely grinned in response, she mentally prepared herself for what was to come. They were directed to the morgue and went in to find Hicks sitting on a stool and writing in a file.

"You're bright and early, Agent Lisbon," he greeted coolly as he looked up unsurprised at their entrance. "I'm afraid I don't have much to tell you."

Out the corner of her eye, Lisbon caught sight of Jane opening his mouth to say something but she nudged him indiscreetly in the side and silenced him with a glare. He raised his eyebrows at her actions then stuck his hands into his jacket pockets and sauntered off around the room checking the names on the large metal drawers that contained the bodies.

"That's fine, Dr. Hicks," Lisbon assured the thin man as she looked back at him with a smile while trying to keep one eye on her wayward consultant. "Just tell me what you did find and let me have a copy of your report."

"Very well," he agreed, watching Jane running a finger under the typed name cards of each drawer as he slowly wandered up and down. "I retrieved three .30 calibre bullets from the chest area. Considering the amount of damage sustained, I'd say two were shot from distance. The third was lodged in the heart and, in my opinion, was taken at closer range. It was also the cause of death, naturally."

"Hardly anything natural about it," Jane commented dryly from the far side of the room.

Lisbon shot him a dark look then turned back to Hicks and queried, "Anything else?"

"Minor contusions to his legs and arms that are consistent with several falls. Other than that, nothing of any consequence to your investigation," he replied, shooting an irritated glance at the blond as well. "All the other details are in my report."

"Oh, you mean like the knife wound?" Jane enquired as he walked back over to stand next to Lisbon.

"Knife wound?" the Coroner repeated, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"Yes," the consultant confirmed with a slight smile. "Top of his right arm. It was quite defined, you couldn't miss it."

Nor could Hicks miss the blonds' implication.

"Oh, that," he dismissed with a shake of his head as he let out a derisive snort. "You're mistaken, Mr. Jane, the mark you're referring to was just a scratch. Probably caught it on a branch when he fell."

"No it wasn't," Jane refuted confidently, his face now devoid of any trace of its previous pleasantness. "It was too precise. That wound was definitely caused by a knife."

Hicks sucked in a breath and puffed out his chest as he raised himself to his full height, which was still a good two inches shorter than the consultant.

"What makes you so sure you're right? Do you have some kind of medical training that makes you an expert on these things?" he enquired disdainfully.

"No," the consultant replied mildly. "Do you?"

"OK, that's enough," Lisbon cut in curtly when she saw Hicks turn an almost purple colour with anger. "We can easily settle this by you just showing us the body."

"I can't. It's been released to the family," the Coroner revealed defiantly as he turned away and went back to perch on his stool.

"Already?" the brunette agent questioned incredulously, beginning to feel her own irritation stirring. "Why wasn't I informed first? You should have waited until you had permission."

"I did," he retorted stiffly. "I spoke to Sheriff Newland and he gave it to me."

"Well, that was certainly convenient," Jane interjected caustically.

"And what do you mean by that?" Hicks irately demanded to know as he stood up again.

Jane looked bemused at the Coroner's temper and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Nothing. Just passing comment."

Lisbon mentally counted to ten as she reined in her irritation both at the Coroner's attitude and Jane's antagonism.

"Sheriff Newland isn't running this investigation any longer, the CBI is; so from now on you'll run everything regarding this case past me. Do you understand, Dr. Hicks?" she commanded in no uncertain terms.

The sandy haired man nodded reluctantly, his eyes showing his displeasure at being spoken to in such a way.

Not wanting to see the situation get any further out of hand, she plastered what she hoped would pass for a placating smile on her face.

"Good. Thank you for your time. We'll be in touch if we need further information," she said, trotting out the platitude with practiced ease.

She then turned abruptly and walked away with Jane in tow, the latter pausing in the doorway to give the Coroner a jaunty salute and grin before he left.

"He's obviously covering up for someone," the consultant announced as soon as they were out of the building. "But he doesn't strike me as a killer. That means he either knows who it is and he's doing it because there's some connection there, a relative maybe, or he's being paid a lot of money by someone to keep any trace evidence out of the reports."

"I know," she agreed as they got into the SUV and she started it up. "But without that body, we have no proof of anything."

"Well there must have been some photos taken at the scene," the blond mused. "If they took some of Miller then they should show the cut and as it's not mentioned in the report then we'd at least have enough to pull Hicks in for an interview."

"That's a good idea. Call Van Pelt and ask her to speak to the Sheriff," Lisbon decided as she put the car into gear and pulled away. "In the meantime, we'll go to Blue Lake and speak to Miller's parents."

Jane nodded then pulled out his phone and made the call. Van Pelt was only too happy to help and said that she and the men would go over to the Sheriff's office once they'd been to see Simmons' wife in McKinleyville.

The consultant relayed the message to Lisbon who nodded her thanks. The drive only took around twenty minutes and they soon arrived at the Miller's residence. The brunette knew the meeting was going to be difficult. Talking to relatives of any victim was a necessary evil that she always tried to handle professionally, but sometimes it was harder than others. This was one of those times.

The mother, Kate, was distraught to the point of hysteria and the father, Don, was doing his best, but failing miserably, to console her. Either way, they weren't going to get any questions answered so Jane went over and in that soothing, honey voice of his that secretly sent a tingle down Lisbon's spine, he managed to get the woman to use a breathing technique to finally calm her down.

Don gave the consultant a brief smile of gratitude then wrapped his arm lovingly around his wife's shoulders, trying hard to keep his own tears at bay.

Jane resumed his seat next to Lisbon, who shot him a grateful smile of her own, before he sat back and listened quietly as she began the interview. Usually when faced with such heart wrenching grief he preferred to make himself scarce and go and make some tea, unable to handle the painful reminder of his own personal anguish. In this case, however, as much as Kate would benefit from the calming effects of camomile, it just felt disrespectful.

He marvelled at how Lisbon navigated the turbulent waters of their sorrow with sympathy and understanding but still managed to elicit the pertinent information they needed for the investigation. Most importantly they found out that Daniel regularly used to drive to the northern part of Redwood National Park and turn off onto the Old State Highway then park up on one of its trails and complete a circuit of around eight to ten kilometres. His car had yet to be found.

Don also explained that when Sheriff Newland had visited and broken the news about Daniel, he'd hinted that their son's body would be ready for release as soon as the autopsy was complete.

It was an interesting piece to the puzzle that Jane immediately latched onto, his mind quickly producing and rejecting several innocent scenarios as to why the officer would do such a thing before the initial investigation was complete at least.

Lisbon stood suddenly, breaking his train of thoughts and the consultant quickly followed suit as soon as he realised that she was ready to leave.

"Thank you for your time," the brunette said warmly as she shook hands with each of them. "And, again, I really am sorry for your loss."

Jane saw the way the Miller's reacted to her obvious compassion and smiled to himself. No matter how many times he'd heard Lisbon give that condolence, she'd never once let it sound trite or insincere. It was an amazing feat considering how long she'd been a law officer and one that he admired greatly. It proved she still cared even after all this time and all the horrors they'd borne witness to. She really was an incredible woman.

Also one that was on a mission apparently, judging by the way she was on her phone to Van Pelt the second they left the house. He almost had to jog to keep up with her rapid gait as she strode towards the SUV. She unlocked the car then gestured for him to get in as she did the same. From what he could gather hearing just her side of the conversation and the way she suddenly frowned, the pictures appeared to be a bust. He'd suspected they would be, especially after the Miller's little revelation about the Sheriff.

She then asked whether Cho and Rigsby had found out from Simmons' wife if her husband had a regular exercise route in Redwood and her expression darkened even more if that were possible. She ended the call and put the phone back in her pocket with a growl of frustration before starting the vehicle and driving back towards Arcata.

"No luck with the widow?" he asked quietly.

"No; apparently it was the first time Simmons had ever exercised there. He usually went to his local gym. Only similarity is that his car was never found either."

"I see. And what about the photos? Or aren't there any?"

"Oh, there's photo's," she snapped in annoyance. "Just conveniently none from an angle that show Miller's right arm in any great detail."

"Hardly surprising," he commented with a shrug.

"Dammit," she cursed unhappily. "I really don't want to have go back to the Miller's and tell them that we need to take their son's body for further investigation. It's just not right."

"I know," he sympathised with a soft smile. Without thinking, he reached out then laid his hand on her arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "But, believe me, they'll understand. They want us to catch the person who did this to their son as much as we do."

Lisbon looked down at his hand then glanced up at his handsome face before staring straight ahead at the road again. She nodded curtly and he pulled back, turning his head to look out of the window. She took in a breath and exhaled slowly as she pushed aside the little jolt of pleasure she'd received from his unexpected touch. He was just being supportive, she told herself sternly. Nothing more to it than that.

Jane clenched his fist in his lap and ignored the way his simple gesture had made him feel. He was used to it by now. The heat, the longing; it was second nature whenever he made close contact. Granted, he didn't go out of his way to touch her as often as he used to. That day in her office just before he'd pretended to shoot her, when he'd revealed how he truly felt, had made him more cautious. He just wished that she would initiate something for a change. Just once. Would they be too much to hope for? Some tiny sign of affection.

"You want to stop for some lunch?" she queried, cutting across his reverie.

He looked over at her and nodded. He hadn't realised the time; it was after one. No wonder he was feeling hungry.

They reached Arcata but just as they were about to go into a diner, Lisbon's phone went off. It was Cho.

"What's up?" she asked. There was a pause where her second in command obviously told her, then she said, "Really? The Miller's said the same. That's great, thanks. We'll take a drive along there now and check it out. Just let me know what you find out from Craig Phillips' partner, OK?"

"Good news, I take it?" Jane asked as he watched her put her phone away then insert the key back in the ignition. He let out a sigh. He'd really been looking forward to grabbing a bite to eat.

"Cho's just finished talking to Lance Williamson's family," she supplied.

"The first victim?" the consultant queried.

"Yeah. They said he used to regularly run along the Old State Highway. That's the same place as Daniel Miller."

"Two out of three so far," he murmured contemplatively as she started the engine. "If the others all exercised in the same area then we can assume Simmons also did on the day he went missing too." At her nod he then added seriously, "It's all starting to make some sense to me now but there's still one vital little thing I need before I know for sure."

"What's that?" she asked quizzically.

"Food. Could we get something to go? I'm starving," he told her with a sudden grin.

She rolled her eyes then smiled wryly and turned off the engine. They went in and bought a burger and fries each along with their preferred hot drinks then got back into the car and headed north along Redwood Highway towards their destination.

The scenery was fantastic and Jane was in his element. Trees gave way to a large lagoon and the ocean beyond drawing a smile of pleasure from the blond before they began to head inland again. Forty minutes later they reached the Old State Highway and turned onto it. Lisbon cruised down the winding road and it soon became apparent that little to no traffic used it anymore. They came to another large lagoon and she pulled over into a small lay-by, staring out across the expanse of blue water.

"Good place to dump a car or two," Jane observed, voicing her own thoughts.

"Yeah, although there are people fishing this end so it would have to be somewhere a bit more secluded," she replied as she drove off again.

"What I don't get is why a rifle?" the consultant suddenly conjectured with a frown. It was the one thing that been bothering him since they'd been handed the case.

"Why not?" Lisbon countered with a shrug.

"Serial killers like to get up close to their victims, Lisbon, you know that. They get off on the fear."

"OK, so is there a particular weapon that a possible serial killer should have in your opinion?"

"No; but it also shouldn't be as impersonal as a long-range gun nor does it tie in with the fact that the men were being kept somewhere," he responded with a shake of his head. "What reason could the murderer have if it's not to take his time killing the victims? I just can't fathom it out."

"Well, I guess…" she began only to be cut off by a loud bang and the SUV suddenly lurching to the right.

"Tyre's blown," the brunette cried out as she desperately struggled with the steering wheel to control the vehicle around the bend they were currently navigating.

Try as she might, the car just wouldn't respond quick enough and she let out a gasp of horror as it carried straight on off the road towards a large tree. It all happened so quickly that they had no time to brace themselves for the fierce impact that threw them both forward towards the dashboard, Lisbon's head cracking hard against the top of the steering wheel, knocking her out cold.

Once the car was still, Jane drew in a shuddering breath, trying to calm the adrenalin that was rushing chaotically through his system. Apart from the fright, he was unharmed and immediately turned his head to seek out Lisbon. His stomach dropped when he saw how her head lulled to one side away from him, a thin trail of blood making its way slowly down her cheek. He quickly undid his seatbelt then leaned across the centre console and reached out to gently cup her face with his hand, moving it so that he could see her injury better.

Although her face was pale, he could see a small cut just above her right eyebrow where the skin was already darkening into what he knew would be one hell of a bruise.

"Lisbon?" he called, gently tapping her cheek. "Lisbon, can you hear me?"

She remained unresponsive and he dug around in his pocket to find his phone in order to call Cho.

Suddenly, the car door behind him was wrenched open but before he could turn to see who it was, he felt something hard thrust painfully against the back of his head. He stilled immediately and drew in a sharp breath. Dread settled in the pit of his stomach like a ton weight as he gazed disconsolately at Lisbon's slack features and the silence of the vehicle was abruptly broken by the terrifying sound of the metallic click of a gun being primed to fire.

They were in serious trouble.

END CHAPTER 3


	4. Chapter 4

"Get out. Nice and slow," said a deep male voice from behind Jane.

The consultant felt the pressure on the back of his head ease somewhat and he tentatively started to turn. He thought briefly of making a grab for Lisbon's gun in the glove compartment but then rejected it almost immediately; he knew he wouldn't be able to get it quick enough. Taking measured movements, he slowly manoeuvred himself out of the vehicle then held up his hands as he came face to face with a young man holding a rifle pointed squarely at his chest.

He swallowed hard. He wasn't a firearms expert but even he could hazard a guess that the six men who had been murdered over the past few months probably died at the hands of someone using a gun exactly like that.

His gaze went to the man who was a good four inches taller than him with black, cropped hair, dark brown eyes and at least a day's growth of stubble. He wore a tight fitting, dark blue t-shirt and his jeans were faded and worn, although the consultant gauged they were intentionally so and not from age. Hiking boots completed the look and, along with the rest of the man's attire, they didn't look cheap either.

"What do you want?" Jane asked, sounding calm.

"Shut up and empty your pockets," the man ordered.

Trepidation filling his entire being, Jane eyed the long barrel of the gun as he slowly did as he was told. Dipping his hands into his jacket pockets, he pulled out his phone from one and a pen from the other then held them up.

"Drop them."

Jane felt a momentary pang of relief that the man hadn't also demanded that he retrieve things from his inside pocket. He could feel his notebook burning a significant a hole there but despite his fear, he wouldn't have been about to give that up quite so willingly. He opened his hands and let the items he held fall to the ground. The man then gestured with the gun towards the car.

"Go get your girlfriend out."

The blond walked cautiously around the back of the vehicle, conscious the whole time of the man following slowly, his only diversion to stoop to pick up the discarded phone. Jane opened the driver's door then, after glancing at the man again, he reached forward across Lisbon into the car. His action caused her jacket to fall open slightly and his gaze was immediately drawn to the badge resting on her hip. He had to get rid of it. He couldn't let the gunman know they were cops. He felt sure that their lives would be over there and then if he found out.

Under the guise of unclipping her seatbelt, he surreptitiously removed her badge then dropped it down the gap between the seat and the centre console. It was so fluid and skilful a movement that the man behind was none the wiser…or so he thought. He stilled and looked up as the dark haired man came to his side.

"She got a phone too?" he asked.

Jane almost smiled in relief. He nodded then realised he was going to have to dig around in Lisbon's front jeans pocket to retrieve the item. He hesitated a moment then remembered that the man had assumed they were a couple. It would look odd if he was reluctant to touch her with any familiarity and he knew he should being doing what he could to encourage the man's misapprehension. It would put the ball firmly in their court once Lisbon was awake. The gunman wouldn't expect a petite looking female such as her to be any kind of threat.

Jane glanced at her face then, sending up a silent prayer that she didn't wake up in the middle of what he was doing, he eased his fingers into her pocket. He was glad that he felt the phone straight away and pulled it out quickly. Shifting slightly, he held it out to the gunman who snatched it from his grasp.

The consultant wasn't sure what the man was going to do with the phones but while they were still on, at least the team would be able to get a fix on them once they realised they were missing.

The blond turned back to the car then carefully placed his arms under Lisbon's limp body and gingerly lifted her off the seat and out of the car. He adjusted her weight more comfortably in his arms then tensed as he heard the sound of a vehicle approaching. Casting a quick look in the gunman's direction, he was surprised and a little unsettled to find that the young man seemed unperturbed at the thought that he might be caught.

Seconds later a silver van pulled up a few feet away and two men got out then walked towards them. One was older, in his forties with fair hair, wearing a green check shirt and jeans and sporting a grim expression. The younger man was also fair and had more than a passing resemblance to the older man for Jane to deduce that he was his son. He was grinning widely and carrying a rifle.

The older man took in the scene before him and shook his head. He looked at the consultant then dropped his eyes to Lisbon, his blue gaze slowly sliding over her inert body in such a way that the blond subconsciously tightened his grip and drew her in closer towards him.

"Wade, put them in the van," the fair-haired man suddenly ordered sharply.

The youth quickly moved behind Jane and nudged him, none to gently, on the back with his gun.

"Move."

The blond walked slowly to the vehicle carrying his precious bundle. He was beginning to feel more than a little alarmed at the turn of events but damped it down as best he could. He couldn't start panicking just yet, even though the odds were stacked drastically against them now. Together he and Lisbon could've probably taken the one man by surprise, but three of them? With weapons? Not to mention that the men clearly hadn't bothered to hide their faces nor concerned themselves that he could hear their names. That obviously meant only one possible outcome for Lisbon and himself.

And if that wasn't bad enough, he really hadn't liked the way the father had practically ogled Lisbon's body. Jane knew he wasn't in any position to do much by way of protecting her when these men had guns. That didn't mean he wouldn't die trying though.

The son opened the back doors of the van and motioned for the consultant to get inside. The blond gently laid Lisbon down on the cold, metal floor then clambered in beside her. He sat down with his back against the side of the van and his legs stretched out in front of him then leaned over to Lisbon. Lifting her head, he shuffled closer until it rested on his lap and then he draped his arm over her waist. He looked down at her still features and his other hand found its way to her hair, taking up a slow stroking motion.

Outside, the older man looked at the black-haired youth in disgust.

"I thought I specifically told you not to go after anyone else yet, Zack. The Feds are in Arcata swarming all over this thing. Do you want to get us caught?" he demanded angrily.

"How are they going to catch us? They don't even know what's going on," Zack retorted scathingly. He shook his head then suddenly grinned maliciously. "Just think of doing this right under their noses, Ben. A couple at that. It's the ultimate game."

"It's the ultimate stupidity," Ben countered wrathfully. He paused and looked at the damaged SUV then gestured towards it with a sneer. "What have I told you about shooting out a tyre on a bend for Christ's sake? Look at the damage to this thing. What the hell am I supposed to do with it now, huh?" He shook his head. "Just hide it until I can come back and get it later. And give me their phones," he added as an afterthought, holding out his hand.

Zack stared at the older man defiantly for a few seconds then let out a heavy sigh and pulled the mobiles out of his pocket and reluctantly handed them over. Ben spun around and nodded at Wade to help Zack out as he took his son's place at the back of the van.

Jane looked up as the first door slammed shut swiftly followed by the second, leaving them in semi darkness despite the bright light of the day that spilled in from the windscreen.

He'd heard every word the men had said to each other and was busy trying to piece together what the hell was going on. Obviously, these men were behind the killings and they were organised. As for a motive…

A sudden soft groan broke into his thoughts and he immediately focussed his attention on Lisbon as she slowly came back to consciousness. The noise from the doors must have woken her finally.

"Hey," he whispered with a soft smile as her eyes fluttered open. "How are you feeling?"

Lisbon blinked a few times, trying to get her bearings. Her eyes darted around the gloom of the van interior until eventually resting on Jane's face and she frowned. She could feel his arm lying just below her chest, his hand curving under her body. His other hand was in her hair, his fingers gently massaging her scalp as he stared down at her with such a tender expression that made her heart thud. She was feeling pretty good, actually. Except, the situation was so surreal that she wondered briefly if she'd been drinking. Her fuzzy head certainly felt like she had. Then it all came back to her in a rush. The car. The tree…

"Where are we?" she asked as sat up far too quickly. Her head swam at the movement but she shut her eyes and rode it out until the world righted itself once more.

"Take it easy, you've had a nasty knock to your head," he soothed, automatically reaching out and placing his hand on the small of her back. "Do you remember the tyre blowing out?"

"Yeah. I guess we hit that tree, right?" she replied, looking at him for confirmation.

He nodded then leaned in closer to her and said in an low, urgent voice, "Listen, we don't have much time. It wasn't an accident, Lisbon, the tyre was shot out. There are three men outside, two of them have rifles and I'm certain these are the people that killed Miller and the others."

"What?" she exclaimed in shock.

"I've hidden your badge in the SUV. They mustn't know we're anything to do with the police. It's the only thing keeping us alive at the moment," he continued, ignoring her surprise. "They think we're just a normal couple, so try not to be so, so…Lisbony."

"Excuse me?" she queried, looking affronted before demanding to know in a loud whisper, "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, you know, angry, aggressive, that hard cop exterior thing you do," he explained in a hushed tone. "Try and be a bit more…"

"Pathetic, like you?" she cut in angrily.

"No; I was going to say be a bit more, Teresa," he corrected tersely. "The sensitive, kind-hearted woman behind that façade that I used to be privileged to witness on the odd occasion. I know it's a tall order in my company lately, but dig deep, I'm sure you'll find her in there somewhere."

Lisbon drew in a sharp breath at his comments and felt a dart of compunction shoot through her system. She'd thought he'd been completely unfazed by her thoughtless gibe, but she was obviously wrong considering the way his expression had turned from intense to impassive in a matter of seconds. She knew that look. She'd hurt him.

She shifted uncomfortably under his carefully crafted emotionless gaze only to become aware that he still had his arm about her waist and his hand on her back. She immediately tensed, her gaze locking with his intently as she fleetingly wondered how she'd not noticed his close proximity before. Something warm suddenly flickered in his eyes, cracking through the cool mask and his features softened a little as she felt his arm tighten around her, causing her heart to give a sudden leap. His fingers pressed firmly into her back for a second and then, as quick as it had begun, the moment was over as he suddenly released her and looked away.

Lisbon didn't have a clue what had just happened and before she had time to even try and work it out the doors to the van suddenly opened. The harsh light of the sun, broke their bubble of semi darkness for a moment, causing them to squint and turn their heads away as Ben climbed in then shut the doors behind him with a clang. The two young men then got in the front and Wade started up the vehicle before pulling smoothly off down the road.

Ben sat down and placed the rifle that he'd brought in with him across his lap, muzzle pointing at them, and rested his hand lightly by the trigger. Once settled, he looked at first Jane and then Lisbon.

"You're awake then," he observed with a predatory smile emerging on his face. "Shame. I was hoping I might have to find some way to…arouse you."

The double meaning wasn't lost on Lisbon as his gaze raked insolently over her form, making her skin crawl. Her hand automatically clenched into a fist as she recognised the overtly sexual overtures in the way he ran his tongue along his bottom lip as his eyes stayed riveted on her chest.

A sudden warmth enveloped her fist and she glanced down to find Jane's hand wrapped firmly around hers. She quickly looked up at him and he stared back at her with a slight frown, minutely shaking his head in warning. She took a deep breath and forced herself to unclench her fist. As soon and her hand opened, Jane laced his fingers through hers and held on tight. She drew some comfort from his hold and offered him a small smile of acknowledgement.

"Where are you taking us?" asked Jane, attempting to keep the older man's attention on himself. "If this is a kidnapping, you've got the wrong people, I assure you we don't have any money."

Ben snorted and gave Jane an assessing look. "Your suit and that SUV tell a different story," he retorted dryly. Off the consultant's shrug, he glanced at Lisbon and added, "We're not interested in your money anyway. We have something else planned for you two."

"Oh? What's that?" the blond queried mildly.

"You'll find out soon enough," the fair-haired man replied, his gaze moving back to Jane. "Now, shut up."

The consultant did as he was told and the tension stretched out thinly within the tight confines of the van as it sped along the road. It wasn't long before they turned off onto a winding forest trail that they followed for a good twenty minutes until Wade unexpectedly executed a sharp left turn. Caught unawares, Lisbon was jostled into Jane and he put his free hand to her back to steady her as the van bumped along an uneven track heading deep into the forest.

He could feel the apprehension emanating from her tiny frame and wished he could do something to alleviate it but he feared he'd only transfer some of his own anxiety over what fate might be awaiting them.

They eventually arrived at a small clearing that had a moderate sized log cabin situated in the middle. From inside the van they could hear the muffled sounds of dogs barking and whining, obviously pleased and excited that their owners were back. The three men got out then Ben gestured for Lisbon and Jane to do the same before ushering the couple into the cabin at the point of his gun.

"Tie them up and put them out back," the older man directed as he pulled the pair's phones from his pocket and dropped them carelessly onto a nearby table.

Wade obediently went into another room then came back a few moments later carrying some rope. He tied their hands behind then backs then pushed Jane towards what appeared to be a sparse, but still functional, kitchen. Lisbon followed then Zack moved past them and opened a door off to the right. He shoved them inside then shut the door behind them and locked it.

He and Wade sauntered back into the lounge area where Ben was on his cell. He finished his call then turned to them and let out a heavy sigh.

"Well, your father's not happy about this and neither am I," he began, pinning Zack with a baleful glare. "But since it's already done, he doesn't want to waste the opportunity so we have to keep them hidden here until the Fed's have gone."

"I knew it'd be OK," Zack gloated with a grin.

"It's not OK, boy," Ben ground out furiously. "You might be my nephew but I swear to God, the next time you disobey me, I'm going to shoot you myself. Do you understand?"

Zack gave his uncle a resentful look but remained silent and nodded.

"Good. Wade, you come and help me clean out that SUV," he said, turning to his son.

"Sure, Dad," he replied, immediately going to the door and heading outside.

Ben gave his nephew one last menacing stare then followed his son out.

Zack watched until they drove away then turned and strode purposefully towards the kitchen. He'd seen the way his uncle had looked at the woman they held captive; heard what he'd said to her. He knew what his older relative had a mind to do but he was damned sure he was going to do it to her first. Anything to upset the old bastard after the way he'd just spoken to him.

No one treated Zack Newland that way.

END CHAPTER 4


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as they'd heard the door lock behind them after Zack had shoved them inside the room, Jane began fiddling with his ropes. Light spilled in from a single dirty window and Lisbon looked around searching for a means of escape. The place was filthy and there was no furniture except for an old mattress lying on the bare wooden floor in one corner with dubious looking stains all over it. She scrunched up her nose in disgust then went to the window and checked the fixings before turning back to Jane with a shake of her head.

"Nailed shut," she revealed in frustration.

"Doesn't matter. Just let me get this rope off then we wait until nightfall when they're asleep and I'll pick that door lock. Then we can sneak out and take the van," he said confidently before suddenly wincing a little and squirming as he tried to get his fingers into a particularly awkward position behind his back.

"That easy, huh?" she countered incredulously. "We'd be better off trying to get to our phones and contact the team."

"True, but as good as you are at being the brawn to my brains, my dear, I doubt even you could take down three men with guns."

She rolled her eyes but mentally had to agree with what he said. That didn't mean she had to like it.

"Well?" she enquired sardonically as she watched him wriggle about, his face contorting into various expressions of equals parts pain and concentration as he tried to slip out of his bindings. "Any luck, Houdini?"

"Just a minute, these things take time," he retorted irritably. He was annoyed with himself for not being already free of the rope. Really, what was the purpose of showing off a little if he couldn't do it quicker than a nine year old practising his first magic trick?

"Yeah; we've got plenty of that," came Lisbon's succinct reply only to hear the lock on the door suddenly turn again.

The brunette shot a slightly panicked glance at Jane then looked back at the opening door and took an involuntary step backwards as she drew in a sharp breath. Zack entered the room and raised his gun, aiming directly at her head.

"Time for you and me to have some fun, sweetheart," he said, looking Lisbon up and down salaciously.

Jane's eyes widened in fear as his heart began to race. He tugged harder on the rope and to his enormous relief it suddenly fell away.

"Lisbon, get down!" he shouted as he quickly ran over to Zack and launched himself at the young man, slamming him hard against the wall.

At the same time, the agent dropped to her knees as the rifle went off with a loud retort before clattering to the ground as it fell from Zack's hands. The window pane shattered behind her and she looked up in time to see Jane kick the gun away seconds before the young man righted himself and grabbed her consultant by the lapels of his jacket.

He turned and shoved Jane against the wall then landed a couple of hard punches to his gut causing the blond to double over in agony and collapse on the floor.

"Jane!" Lisbon cried, her fear for him evident.

Breathing hard, Zack looked over at her and his mouth tightened grimly as his stomach dropped. He recognised those names, he'd heard his father mention them the day before. They were the Fed's from Sacramento and he was the one responsible for bringing them here. His uncle was right…he was stupid. But he was about to remedy that. He'd kill them and dump the bodies in the lagoon. They'd never be found.

He looked down at the ground for his rifle, then frowned when he realised it wasn't there. Eyes widening, he spun around quickly then felt something hard connect with the side of his head before everything went black.

Breathing hard, Jane watched the young man slump to the ground in satisfaction then dropped the gun and went over to Lisbon.

"Are you OK?" she asked as he helped her up and undid her ties, freeing her hands.

"Fine," he muttered with a slight grimace as he gingerly massaged his stomach.

She stared at him as she absently rubbed her wrists then nodded and bent down to pick up the rifle. She knew he wouldn't admit to being in any discomfort even though it was obvious he was…Jane didn't wallow when it came to physical pain. On the contrary, he almost welcomed it sometimes.

"Tie him up," she ordered quietly before slowly going to the door and cautiously peering out around the corner into the kitchen.

"If anyone else was here, you would have known about it by now," Jane commented as he breezed past her moments later and carried on through the kitchen then out into the main room.

Lisbon huffed in annoyance at his cavalier attitude. She glanced back over her shoulder and saw the unconscious Zack lying on the dusty floorboards with his hands and feet neatly tied. She stepped into the kitchen then pulled the door shut behind her and turned the key in the lock before pulling it out and tossing across the room.

She walked into the main part of the cabin to see Jane holding their phones with a frown marring his handsome face.

"No signal and no landline," he divulged before turning his head to look outside. "No van either."

"We'd better get out of here before they come back," the brunette decided, moving determinedly to the door.

"Hold on a minute," he said, grabbing her arm as she passed by. "Wouldn't it be better if we just stayed here? We could surprise them when they got back then we'd have the van too."

"No. I can't take the chance that something might go wrong," she rejected with a shake of her head. Holding up the rifle, she continued, "We should be able to get prints off of this and we also know their first names and what they look like. The sensible thing is to go and contact the team then come back here with back-up."

Jane saw the resolve in her eyes and knew he wouldn't be able to persuade her otherwise. In truth, he didn't really want to. Doing it her way meant that it kept her safe and that was his main priority…not that she'd appreciate the sentiment. She'd be horrified to know the real reason behind his imminent acquiescence.

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, he released her arm and nodded.

"Fine…although, as a rule, you know much I dislike being sensible," he grumbled with just enough annoyance in his tone to have her believe him.

Lisbon smiled and nodded then took her phone from his hand and popped it back into her pocket.

"Let's go."

"Wait," Jane said, stopping her again.

"What is it now?" she queried irritably. They needed to get going as soon as possible.

"Follow me," he directed, walking off to the kitchen.

With a scowl, she did as he asked and found him standing by the sink dousing a handkerchief he'd pulled out from his vest pocket in cold running water.

"What are you doing?" she asked, wondering what bizarre idea he'd had now.

"Hush," he replied, wringing out the sodden fabric and turning to her.

She started in surprise when he stepped close to her then reached out and cupped her face with one hand before gently dabbing the damp fabric over the small cut above her left eye. She flinched as it stung a little and he muttered a 'sorry' as he focussed on his task. Tilting her head back slightly, he made little circular motions down her cheek as he wiped off the thin trail of blood that had dried there.

She stared at him in fascination, noticing the small nuances of his face and the way his brow creased ever so slightly in his concentration. He finished cleaning her up and his gaze met hers. Intense blue clashed with green as he let his hand linger against her face a moment longer before ever so slowly taking it away, his finger leaving a barely there trail down to her chin.

"That looks better," he murmured, not stepping away.

"Thanks," she replied, her voice sounding faint even to her own ears. She cleared her throat and looked down, suddenly feeling awkward. "We'd, uh…we'd better get going," she decided abruptly then turned and walked away.

Jane stared after her and pushed aside the pang of disappointment he felt. This was hardly the time or the place for starting anything that he couldn't finish. It was gratification enough to know that for a few seconds there, she'd obviously felt the pull of their mutual attraction as strongly as he did. He could see it in her eyes and was content with that.

"You coming?" she called out, her irritation back in full force.

Jane pocketed the soiled hanky then nodded and walked towards her with a grin as he replied a touch mockingly, "Yes, dear."

"You're an ass," Lisbon muttered as she shook her head and tutted before striding out of the cabin with her unrepentant consultant close behind.

xxTheMentalistxx

Ben pulled up next to the battered SUV and got out. Wade followed suit and they walked over. The older man eyed the damage critically and decided it wasn't as bad as he'd first thought. A little out lay and they would probably be able to make some money on it.

"You check the other side," he directed as he yanked open the passenger door.

He leaned in and pulled open the glove box then let out a muttered oath of surprise when Lisbon's Glock toppled out. He picked it up and inspected it closely before stuffing it down the waistband of his trousers and checking out the rest of the small compartment. Apart from a few nondescript pieces of paper with names and addresses on, there was nothing else of interest.

"Dad? I found this under the seat," Wade suddenly said.

Ben looked up to see his son holding aloft a pistol and frowned.

"Another one?" he commented in bemusement. "Who the hell are those people?"

As his father posed the troubling question, Wade ran his hand under the seat again and his fingers came in contact with something metal wedged between the seat and the centre console. He tugged on it hard until it gave then he pulled out the item and swore when he realised what he held in his hand.

"They're the Fed's," Wade proclaimed harshly as he held out Lisbon's CBI badge for his father to see.

The colour drained from Ben's face as he took the shiny metal from his son and looked at it in disbelief. This was all Zack's fault. A sudden rage flowed through him and he shoved the badge in his pocket before stepping away from the car and slamming the door shut.

"We have to get back," he stated as he strode to the van.

Wade had barely clambered in before Ben floored the gas pedal and they sped off back towards the cabin, the van's wheels churning up leaves and broken twigs in their wake.

First Ben would get rid of the Fed's then he'd get rid of Zack. The boy was a liability he was no longer willing to put up with even if he was his brother's only son.

xxTheMentalistxx

Cho shut his phone with a snap and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Still no luck getting hold of the boss?" Rigsby asked as he came to a stop by his colleague's side.

"No. The calls are going straight to voicemail," the stoic agent replied.

"Maybe they just haven't got a signal," Van Pelt suggested as she joined them.

"I guess," Cho agreed as he put his phone back in his pocket and got into their CBI issue vehicle.

He'd already left two messages about the Phillips and Strachen families they'd been to see. He would have thought that Lisbon would have got back to him by now. It was unlike her to simply ignore any information they gave her, she always acknowledged it in some way. The signal couldn't be that bad for that long, could it?

"Maybe the boss and Jane stopped in the forest somewhere for a little…you know," Rigsby volunteered with a waggle of his eyebrows and a knowing grin after he'd climbed into the passenger seat beside his friend.

"Wayne!" Grace admonished aghast from the back seat.

Cho stared at his friend a moment before asking impassively, "A little what?"

Rigsby's grin faded slightly. "Come on, dude, you know what I'm saying," he countered with a faintly embarrassed chuckle.

"No, I don't."

"Last night…" the tall agent tried again but seeing that Cho wasn't going to bite he let out a sigh and looked out the window with a muttered, "Never mind."

"OK," Cho commented then started the car and drove off.

They'd go and see this last family and if he still hadn't been able to make contact with Lisbon after that, he decided he was going out to look for her and Jane.

He just hoped Van Pelt was right and it was merely a bad signal problem. He wasn't even going to entertain Rigsby's theory of them indulging in a little afternoon delight…not in the middle of a case anyway. What they did in their own time was their business.

His biggest worry was that it was neither of those and that they were in trouble. He just hoped they'd get through this last interview as quickly as possible so that he could find out.

xxTheMentalistxx

Ben pulled up outside the cabin and got out of the van, slamming the door after him. He burst through the door, fury emanating from his entire being as he scoured the area for his nephew.

"Zack! Zack, where are you, boy?" he shouted as he strode through the house, checking each room for sign of the dark haired youth.

Wade came in just as he heard a cry for help from the direction of the kitchen. Hurrying over, his brief hopes that his nephew had maybe had a fall were dashed as soon as he entered and he heard Zack calling his name from inside the room beyond.

The room that the Fed's were supposed to be.

He stalked over and tried the door handle but found it was locked and the key missing. Pulling the Glock from his waistband, he fired off a shot in the area of the keyhole. The door splintered and flew open allowing them entrance.

"What the hell happened here?" Ben asked as he quickly bent down to untie his nephew.

"The woman said she wanted to use the bathroom and they overpowered me and took my gun when I opened the door," Zack lied as he stood up, free from his binds. He shot his cousin a vicious glare. "It's all your fault, you didn't tie them up tight enough."

He didn't see the punch coming and staggered back in pain when Ben caught him forcefully on the nose.

"No, it's not; it's your fault for shooting out their tyre in the first place, Zack. They're Fed's you dumbass," Ben told him bitterly.

He turned and walked out of the room with Wade close behind then tossed the Glock onto a table and headed outside to a small wooden shack. In a nearby pen, two dogs began barking and wagging their tails upon seeing him but at his sharp, "Quiet!" they became silent and laid down. He opened the door and entered the ramshackle construction. From the opposite wall he grabbed two rifles from a mount then picked up six boxes of ammunition. He tossed two at his son and pocketed another couple before going back outside and walking over to the van.

Zack stood by the vehicle, arms crossed and sullen expression on his bruised face.

"Here," said Ben brusquely as he handed him a rifle and the remaining boxes of bullets. "Let's go get those bastards before they find their way out of here."

Zack's lips twitched but he held back the sadistic smile that was just bursting to break forth. It appeared he was going to get the hunt we wanted after all.

xxTheMentalistxx

Jane and Lisbon walked through the forest looking for some sign of the road. They'd headed along the uneven track that led away from the cabin but it had forked not long after that and the consultant had a very bad feeling that they'd taken the wrong trail.

"This doesn't look right," he said as he stopped and looked around.

He took a moment to take in the breathtaking sight of the giant Redwood trees that surrounded them. They were so tall he would almost have lay down just to see their tops. The red tinged bark practically glowed wherever the dappled light of the sun bounced off of their trunks and despite their current situation Jane couldn't help but delight in the wonder of nature at her very best.

"Yeah, I think we went wrong at the fork," Lisbon agreed, cutting into his reverie as she looked about consideringly. "It's too dense around here to get a van through. Let's head back and try the other way."

"Any signal yet?" the blond asked hopefully as he fell into step beside her and pulled his own phone out to take a look.

The brunette checked her mobile then shook her head and sighed as she pocketed again. As they continued on a sudden bright flash in the distance caught her eye.

"Did you see that?" she asked, squinting as she tried to find the light again.

"What?" Jane queried, following her line of sight with a frown.

The flicker came again and she stopped and pointed to it. "That; there; did you see it?"

"Yes, I did," he replied, wondering what it could be.

"Oh, crap! It's the reflection off a gun sight," exclaimed Lisbon abruptly as she grabbed his arm and began pulling him the other way. "Come on. Quick. Run!"

Alarmed, Jane did as she said and broke into a sprint just as something whizzed past his head and struck the tree beside him with a dull thud. Bits of bark exploded outwards leaving the pair in no doubt that they'd just been shot at as they crashed through the undergrowth. Jumping over a fallen branch, another piece of tree trunk shattered in front of them and Jane suddenly grabbed Lisbon's hand and tugged her sharply to the left, leading her deeper into the dense forest foliage. Not as fit as Lisbon, he began to slow a few minutes later, his breath coming out in short painful gasps as he tried to draw in some much needed air.

Lisbon looked over at him in concern and came to a stop. She quickly scanned the surrounding area and spied a downed tree.

"Over here," she said urgently.

Jane nodded then, still hand in hand, she led him over and they sat down behind the enormous trunk to recuperate. Now reasonably safe, the consultant reluctantly released his hold then leaned back against the rough bark and took in deep controlled breaths. They remained still for a few minutes, listening out for any tell tale noise that might let them know that the men chasing them were approaching.

"I think we've lost them for now," Jane chanced to whisper.

Lisbon nodded her agreement and tried to get her hammering heart to slow down. She pulled out her phone in the vain hope it might have a bar or two showing but there was nothing. Resisting the urge to throw the useless equipment away, she put it back in her pocket then checked her rifle for ammo.

"Four bullets," she muttered a little despondently.

"That's alright, there's only three of them," the consultant countered with a soft smile.

Lisbon gave him a small smile back wishing that she had as much faith in her abilities as he apparently did. True, she could shoot well enough but the men hunting them had the advantage, not only in numbers but of knowing the area as well.

Standing up slowly, she stood on tiptoe and peeked over the top of the uprooted tree. She couldn't see any of the men nor see any signs that they had managed to follow them and she let herself relax a little.

"What should we do now?" she wondered aloud, still keeping a look out.

"Well, the sensible thing to do would be to double back to the cabin and take the van that I guess they left there," Jane piped up wryly. "But doing the sensible thing hasn't really worked out so well so far, has it?"

Lisbon felt the irritation rise within her and gazed down at him with a scowl. One minute he was complimenting her shooting skills, the next he was being a jerk. She was genuinely surprised that she hadn't throttled him by now.

"You're such an ass at times," she hissed at him in annoyance.

"Meh, tell me something I don't know," he commented uncaringly as, he too, stood up and cautiously looked around.

They stood in silence for a few moments until Lisbon couldn't stand it anymore and turned to look at the blond.

"So what would you do?" she asked, hoping for some imaginative plan that would miraculously get them out of this predicament all in one piece.

"Me? I'd go deeper into the forest. They won't be expecting that. They'll assume we'll do the logical thing and try to get back to the cabin. Back to an area we recognise. It's obvious we're well away from any popular tourist spots so they're relying on the fact that we're pretty much lost out here, but we can turn that to our advantage. The harder we make it for them to find us, the more time we buy the team to realise we're missing and set up a search. And once Grace gets on that computer of hers, she'll lock onto our phones quicker than Rigsby can down a burger."

She looked at him and blinked. His idea made sense in an oddly 'Jane' kind of way. She just wasn't sure she liked it. They should be heading towards the old highway not away from it. Still, there were so many trails and tracks around surely they'd stumble onto one sooner or later, wouldn't they? Dumb luck had to come into play at some point, shouldn't it? It usually did when it came to one of Jane's schemes.

Suddenly, the sound of a shot rang out and pieces of bark flew up into the air just by Lisbon's head. Jane cursed loudly, angry with himself for not paying enough attention, then grabbed her hand and began to run, pulling her along behind him. They were going with his plan whether she liked it or not. It was the only way they would get out of this alive.

END CHAPTER 5


	6. Chapter 6

"Stop wasting shots," Ben growled at Zack as they headed after Lisbon and Jane. "Take your time. They're easy to track, crashing through all the undergrowth like that."

"I'm not wasting them," his nephew refuted defiantly before suddenly smiling nastily. "I'm making them panic. Keeping them running and wearing them out. When they're exhausted, I'll shoot them. The guy first, a shot to leg, then the arm, maybe the shoulder, let him bleed out slow. Once he's gone I can have some fun with the woman, then I'll kill her too. Bullet to the brain; it'll blow her head clean off."

His uncle saw the way Zack seemed to get off on his thoughts. It hadn't been the first time he'd noticed that particular trait in his nephew and he was sure it wouldn't be the last.

"You're a sadistic son of a bitch," Ben snorted in disgust. "Been saying it for years."

"I'm my father's son," he retorted, bitterly.

"There's no denying that," Ben concurred. He looked over at his own son and beckoned him over. "I want you to go back and fetch the dogs. They're going in deeper and I think we'll need them to flush them out."

"Dad," Wade whined, disappointed at being sent away when it was just starting to get interesting.

"Do as you're told. No arguments and be quick," he ordered harshly. "We'll steer the Fed's towards the creek and meet you there."

The youth stared at his father for a few seconds but couldn't find the courage to disobey. With a shake of his head, he turned and trotted off back in the direction of the cabin.

"You should think about getting him a leash too," Zack commented sarcastically.

"I'm better off getting you a muzzle," Ben retorted irately. "Now shut up."

Zack smiled. He didn't care what the old man said anymore, he'd had enough. Once they'd killed the Fed's he was going to make sure his uncle had a little accident of his own too.

xxTheMentalistxx

Lisbon and Jane sank down behind one of the giant redwood trees and each caught their breath.

"We can't keep on running like this," said Lisbon between pants as she laid the rifle across her lap. "We need to find some water soon."

Jane merely grunted in reply. His legs burned almost as much as his lungs and he didn't think he could utter more than two words together at that particular moment in time.

They sat next to each other in silence for a few moments until their breathing evened out then Lisbon turned her head to look at him. His eyes were closed and his head rested back against the trunk, face flushed from exertion. Sweat beaded on his brow and she watched a drop wend its way down the side of face, the rivulet subtly changing direction every time it hit a slight imperfection in his skin. She lifted her hand and reached out to wipe it away with her thumb but caught herself just in time. Letting her arm drop to her side she couldn't quell the unwelcome feeling of guilt that rose within her. He wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her insisting that he come along. If anything happened to him now it'd be all her fault.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, still staring at him.

He opened his eyes at her softly spoken apology and turned his head to gaze back at her. Confusion and no small amount of surprise swirled in his cerulean depths as he noted the troubled expression on her face.

"What for?"

"For forcing you to come on this case with me," she confessed, quietly.

He took in her glowing cheeks and bright eyes that the adrenaline and exercise had produced. Her tousled hair was slightly damp at the ends making it curl and even with the bruising coming out nicely on her forehead he still thought she was really quite beautiful. The merest hint of a smile touched his lips as he wondered what she'd think if he told her that he really wouldn't want to be anywhere else but by her side...and not just for then, but always.

He imagined such a declaration would go down like a lead balloon. Those emotions were best left until after they'd dealt with Red John; if they managed to eventually catch the serial killer, obviously. Not to mention if he were even still alive when it was finally all over.

So many obstacles, but he liked to think that one day, maybe, there might be a future for them both together. But first they had to get out of this mess.

"Meh, no need to apologise to me, Lisbon. You can't force me to do anything I don't want to do, you should know that by now," he replied with a wry smile.

The brunette's eyebrows rose at his flippant words but a part of her was glad that he was choosing to be glib. It was a far more familiar territory than the one she'd just strayed into and so taking his lead, she smiled back at him sweetly.

"I think your ego misunderstood me, Jane," she retorted mockingly. "I meant I'm sorry I forced you to come because if I hadn't Cho would be with me right now and I'd have a better chance of getting out of this crap alive."

"Ouch," he replied with a wince. "A dagger right into the heart of my virility. Painful."

"I'll think you'll survive," she retorted with a snort.

Jane silently agreed with her. They both knew he wasn't hero material so it was pointless even denying it. Lisbon stirred beside him and he looked over just as she stood up and held the rifle at the ready.

"You hear something?" he asked softly, automatically tensing and straining to listen for any signs of their hunters being nearby.

"No," she replied as she looked back from where they'd just come. "But they can't be far behind us. We should get going."

The consultant stood up, ignoring the heaviness of his legs. Lisbon was right; they couldn't keep on running. He, in particular, just wasn't in good enough shape. Looking around cautiously, he saw the trail of broken and trampled ferns they'd left in their panicked wake. They were making it too easy for the men chasing them to follow. They needed to do something else. A little misdirection.

"We need to backtrack," he said, turning to Lisbon with a sudden smile.

She stared at him blankly for a moment.

"Backtrack?" she queried dubiously. "But I thought you said it was better for us to head deeper into the forest?"

"I've changed my mind," he told her, feeling a surge of renewed vigour pump through his veins. "Follow me."

Lisbon stayed put for a moment then let out a sigh and headed after him as he began tramping through the foliage.

xxTheMentalistxx

"I don't like it," stated Cho as he pocketed his phone and turned to Rigsby and Van Pelt. "Lisbon doesn't go this long without checking in, especially in the middle of a case. Something's up." Rigsby grinned suggestively and opened his mouth to speak but Cho quickly cut him dead with a curt, "Don't say it."

Rigsby immediately sobered and looked down, a little put out by his friends tone.

"I can check for the GPS on their phones," Grace offered, giving her ex love a slight frown at his almost ill-placed levity.

"Sounds good," Cho concurred. "They were checking out Old State Highway so let's head there while you're doing that. It might help us get a quicker fix on their location," he continued before glancing at Rigsby and adding, "Probably best if Van Pelt rides up front with me."

Rigsby scowled slightly then jerked open the rear door of the SUV and climbed in slamming it hard behind him. Feeling like a scolded child, he folded his arms and sulkily stared out of the window.

Cho and Van Pelt both got into the vehicle then the redhead opened her ever present laptop and waited for it to power up while she fastened her safety belt. Cho started the car and they set off towards the old highway.

xxTheMentalistxx

Jane moved quickly, treading down the foliage as he made a trail towards a nearby fallen tree. Once there he came to a stop and looked at his handiwork, seemingly pleased.

"Give me your jacket," he commanded, holding out his hand.

"My jacket?" repeated Lisbon dubiously. "No."

"Come on, I'll buy you a new one," the consultant urged, waggling his fingers for the item of clothing.

"Why do you want it?" the brunette asked curtly, even though her hands were already at the lapels and beginning to slip it off her shoulders.

"I want to make them think we're hiding here," he replied, pointing to the tree as he grabbed the jacket she reluctantly held out.

"Why can't you leave yours?" she queried with slight chagrin. That was her favourite.

"First of all this is a quality suit," the blond announced as he gestured to himself, causing her jaw to set angrily at his implication that hers wasn't. "And second of all, I've still got my notebook in my pocket and if I leave my jacket here, I won't have anywhere else to carry it."

Lisbon watched him arrange her clothing in such a way that anyone approaching would notice some of the black fabric poking out from the side of the trunk as though they hadn't hidden quite well enough.

"There, that should do it," he said coming around the front to see how it looked. "Yes. Perfect."

"Now what do we do?" the agent asked, quickly scanning the area before looking back at him.

"Well, you either climb a tree and pick them off one by one," he suggested with a smile. "Or we could take a very careful walk back the way we came. Make sure we don't leave such an obvious trail for them to track."

Lisbon eyed a nearby tree without enthusiasm then nodded at him. "Let's go for the second option," she decided.

Jane grinned and held out his hand for her to take. She looked at it for a moment then deliberately brushed passed him as she stalked away. Allowing her hand to be grabbed while running scared was one thing, to offer it willingly; that meant something else entirely and she wasn't going there today.

The consultant's expression dropped a little at her snub but Lisbon didn't notice as she cautiously navigated her way through the thick undergrowth, trying not to snap too many fern fronds along the way.

She could sense Jane close behind her as she moved stealthily, cringing slightly at every little snap of a twig and crunching of leaves underneath her feet. Her only comfort was that when they encountered the men coming in the opposite direction as they undoubtedly would at some point, they'd be making the same amount of noise. More even, as they probably wouldn't be so careful.

They'd been walking only a few minutes when Lisbon suddenly heard something up ahead and to the left of them. She halted and put her hand up to signal Jane to do the same. A bright glint in the distance caught her eye and she quickly spun around then launched herself at an unsuspecting Jane. He let out an 'oof' as she grabbed him around the waist and they ended up in a tangle of limbs on the forest floor with Lisbon laying fully on top of her consultant.

The fall knocked the rifle from her grip and it skidded away, coming to a stop under a nearby large fern. She left it where it was and clamped a hand over Jane's mouth to prevent him from saying anything as she urgently whispered, "Hush."

The consultant's eyes widened and he nodded slightly in acknowledgment so she slowly removed her hand. They could hear the men approaching and Jane automatically placed his arms around her slim form, his hands splaying across her back as if it would somehow help them become more invisible.

She turned her head and laid it on his shoulder, trying to control the slight shaking in her limbs that was threatening to overwhelm her. They were only relying on the foliage for their protection, the tall fronds arching over them and aiding their concealment. Feeling Lisbon's heart hammering against his chest and the way she shook in his arms, Jane tightened his grip on her, hoping to convey some reassurance.

The brunette closed her eyes and pressed herself down onto him even further, trying to obtain that tiny inch of space that might be the difference between being discovered or not.

They could hear the men talking quietly to each other, although not loud enough to hear exactly what they were saying. The tone of their voices betrayed their displeasure; whether at the situation or at each other was hard to determine. They walked swiftly on by and as the sounds of their footsteps faded, Jane let out a shuddering breath that he hadn't realised he was holding.

"I think they're gone," he whispered into her ear; although he only loosened his hold enough that his hands dropped lower to span her waist.

Lisbon lay still a moment longer, trying to get her rigid form to relax as her shakes subsided. However, now that the imminent danger had passed, she found herself tensing for a whole different reason as she became very aware of her consultant's warm, firm body lying beneath hers. Despite the fearful situation of only a moment ago, her own body tingled from top to toe as it revelled in the heady feeling of lying so intimately against him. It gave her pause to wonder what sort of person she was that she could glean a perverse kind of pleasure in such dire a circumstance but then again, adrenaline was a powerful force. It made people feel and do the craziest of things at times.

She lifted her head and opened her eyes to look down at him. They were so close their breaths mingled as they gazed at each other intently. She only had to move a few, scant centimetres to close the gap between them and then she'd finally know what it felt like to have his lips on hers. She noticed his eyes darken a shade and his lips part slightly as the tension stretched out until it practically crackled between them. She felt his fingers dig into her waist, her skin burning beneath his touch even though her top still served as a barrier for any real contact. Her breathing deepened. It was what she wanted, more than anything, she suddenly realised; but did she have the guts to actually do it?

It would change things between them irrevocably. She wouldn't be able to pass it off as a mere spur of the moment thing. They both knew it would be a conscious decision on her part if she chose finally to cross that line.

The moment dragged on and just when Jane was about to broach that forbidden barrier himself a distant shot rang out followed by the panicked screeching of several birds, breaking the spell.

With such a strident reminder of their current situation ringing in her ears, Lisbon placed her hands either side of Jane's shoulders then hurriedly pushed herself up and scrambled off of him.

Jane let her go and swallowed hard as he watched her brush down her jeans. From where he lay, he could see the slight betraying tremor of her hands as they struggled to do even such a menial task. He slowly sat up and brought all his mental abilities into play as he tried to calm his own unruly body down. He could see her face was extremely flushed and judging by the way she had still yet to meet his gaze he knew she couldn't have been unaware of how much being that close to her had affected him.

He stood up as she bent down to retrieve the rifle and after a cursory glance in her direction he looked away. Seeing her like that really wasn't going to help his condition in any way he decided as his gazed skywards in the vain hope that if there were a God he'd throw some divine intervention his way and help them both through this awkward moment.

Lisbon chanced flicking Jane a glance as she came back with the gun and seeing he was ready she immediately continued on the way they were going before they'd seen the men. The consultant took her lead and followed silently behind, shedding his jacket to brush off the back that was covered in leaves and dirt.

"There were only two of them. We'd best be careful in case the third man is around here somewhere," he cautioned in a low voice as he donned his jacket again.

A nod of the head was the only response he received and he damped down a wave of frustration. It was becoming more and more obvious to him now that despite his own dogged reticence and many reasons why not to, they were just going to have to stop skirting around the issue of their feelings for each other and at the very least talk about it. True, he could pretend that it was down to the rush of being in danger, but he knew he'd be lying to himself and he was certain that Lisbon had realised it too. She wasn't stupid and if nothing else, it would stop the silent treatment he received every time she got a little too close to revealing herself.

He really was finding it quite tiresome.

xxTheMentalistxx

Zack angrily picked up the offending black jacket then tossed it carelessly away as he scanned the surrounding area.

"Where the hell are they?" he ground out irately.

Ben slowly turned around looking for the telltale sign of which direction Jane and Lisbon had headed. He had far more years experience at hunting than Zack and knew exactly what he was searching for…and then he spotted it. A broken fern frond at the farthest end of the downed tree trunk. Nondescript in its own way but Ben hurried over to it to check it out. It was a fresh break and although there was always a chance that it could have been done by an animal, it was slim given the height and angle off the ground. Besides, his gut told him he was right. The one time he'd hadn't listened to it was when his brother had told him that Zack wasn't a psychopath, he was just in need of some discipline. How that had come back to bite him in the ass.

"I've found something," he said to Zack. "You go on to the creek and meet up with Wade. The dogs will lead you back to me."

"No way," his nephew replied. "If you're going after them, I'm coming with you."

"I haven't got time to argue, boy," Ben retorted angrily. "If they get away then we're all going down, do you understand? Now go get Wade and bring those dogs back. I'm sick and tired of your games."

Zack's jaw clenched as he stared at his uncle in disdain. Without warning he levelled his rifle at the older man but Ben was just as quick. They eyed each other down the barrels of their guns but Zack's overwhelming desire to stay alive proved too much and he lowered his gun with harsh laugh.

"You'd better watch your back, old man," he cautioned with a sneer before turning a walking away.

Ben kept his rifle trained on his nephew until he was sure he'd gone then let out a sigh of relief as he relaxed his aim. He'd won this round but he knew there would soon come a time where he was going to have to do something about Zack once and for all.

With one last look in the direction his nephew had gone, Ben turned around and concentrated on finding Lisbon and Jane.

xxTheMentalistxx

Van Pelt tutted in annoyance as the GPS tracker failed yet again.

"I can't get a lock on their phones," she announced worriedly.

"What about the car?" Cho questioned as he finally pulled onto Old State Highway.

"I'll give it a try," she said, tapping away at the keyboard. There were a couple of minutes of tense silence then she stated urgently, "Got it. About five kilometres north of here."

The stoic agent nodded in response and pressed harder on the gas pedal. How was it that they could get a fix on their car but not their phones?

They passed a lagoon and continued on until Cho had to slow for a tight left hand corner.

"It should be somewhere here," the red head declared, looking avidly out of the windscreen.

He manoeuvred the car smoothly around the bend only to slam on the brakes when Rigsby let out a sudden cry from the backseat.

"Stop! I think I saw something in the trees back there," he exclaimed as he jabbed his finger on his window by way of pointing the direction.

Cho quickly performed a U-turn and drove back to the bend where he pulled off the road so as not to inconvenience any other driver that might by chance happen along the little used road.

Van Pelt propped the laptop onto the top of the dashboard then got out with the men to have a look around. Rigsby jogged forward into the forest to where he thought he'd caught a glimpse of a car parked between two trees.

"It's here," he called grimly as he spied Lisbon's damaged SUV and went over to it. "Looks like they had an accident. Drivers side took the hit."

The other two agents joined him and together they checked over the vehicle inside and out. They soon found that the guns were gone and that there was a small smear of blood on the steering wheel.

"Looks like Lisbon was hurt," Cho commented impassively. "Not too bad though."

"No guns so I guess they're armed at least," said Van Pelt trying to be optimistic.

"Armed against what though?" Rigsby asked with a puzzled look. "I mean, why didn't they just call us? And why is the car pushed all the way back here, away from the road?"

"Because something else happened here," Cho replied, looking around at the forest as though it would somehow magically reveal the events that had unfolded there. "Whatever it is, they're in trouble and we need to find them, quick."

"I'll see if I can get a fix on their phones again," Van Pelt immediately offered before heading back to their car.

"I'll call local PD and get them to come and tow the car and get forensics on it," Rigsby declared, pulling out his phone.

"Good. I'll call Sheriff Newland and let them know they're missing; see if we can set up a search," said Cho as he too got out his phone.

As he waited for his call to be answered, Cho glanced over at the battered SUV again and tried to quell the uneasiness that had settled in his stomach. Something was off about the whole accident thing. Lisbon didn't have accidents. Ever.

Which begged the questions; what the hell really happened here? And where the heck were they now?

He just hoped he found out the answers before it was too late.

END CHAPTER 6


	7. Chapter 7

Zack waited impatiently by the creek. He hadn't been there long but every second felt like an hour, as he was desperate to get back to the hunt. He paced the small clearing in agitation and had just decided to hell with it and leave when he heard the faint whines of the approaching dogs.

"It's about time," he commented angrily when Wade appeared a few moments later with the two muzzled canines from the cabin.

"Where's Dad?" he younger man asked ignoring his cousin's rudeness.

"The Fed's tricked us and he's trying to find them," Zack replied bitterly. "Now we need to use the dogs to find him."

Wade frowned but nodded. Dropping to his knees, he petted the animals then ordered curtly, "Go find, Dad. Go."

The dogs barked a couple of times then whined and jumped up in their desire to get going. It was a command they were used to hearing whenever they were exercised. Ben would hide and Wade would let them off to seek him out. It was good training practice.

Unable to wait any longer, Zack snatched one of the leashes from Wade's hand and trotted off, letting the dog lead him to his uncle. He wasn't about to miss out on any more fun.

xxTheMentalistxx

Sheriff Newland was absolutely livid. After Cho's call regarding the missing CBI agents, he'd headed out to Old State Highway and brought a couple of deputy's and a Ranger friend with him ready to help with the search. As soon as he'd seen the SUV and the state of the tyre, however, he'd known exactly what had happened. The couple his brother had told him about were actually Lisbon and Jane.

He'd have his crazy son's hide for this.

He'd attempted to try and convince Cho that there wasn't any foul play involved but the agent had been adamant it was to do with the investigation.

"All the vic's went missing when they were exercising in this area," he'd said. "Now Lisbon and Jane have too. We can't ignore the possibility that the killer might have them; it's too much of a coincidence and until I hear from her otherwise, I'm treating this accident as suspicious."

Newland had opened his mouth to refute his supposition as ridiculous and unsubstantiated but even his own deputy's had eyed him a little dubiously and so he'd quickly just acceded that the pair were likely in some kind of trouble.

Now that they were all agreed, his friend, Ranger Bill Townsend spread a forest map out over the hood of the CBI vehicle and pointed to a spot near the bottom.

"We're here," he stated then looked up at everyone before gazing back at the map. "Now if, as Agent Cho suspects, this is to do with the killer they're investigating, then we need to look at any places where they could possibly be held. There's not many. We've got some houses in the area and a few old cabins in the woods; here, here and here," he said, pointing to a location on the map with each word.

"I'll check out that one," Newland said pointing to the cabin he knew they were being held in. "It's the old Kinsella place, right?"

"Yeah," Townsend concurred. "I'll take Bridger's cabin. It's quite a trek but I know it well."

"OK, take Rigsby with you," said Cho, knowing the ranger would need someone that carried a gun with him. He then turned to the deputy's and asked, "Do either of you know where the last cabin is?"

"I do," replied the taller of the two. "I used to go camping around there a lot."

"Good. I'll go with you," he decided then looked at Grace and added, "Van Pelt, you go with Deputy Warner and check out the houses. You can keep an eye on the GPS signal that way. If you get a fix then try and let me before following it up, OK?"

The red head nodded and everyone made their way to their respective vehicles.

Newland almost ran to his car so desperate was he to get to the cabin and deal with the situation as quickly and cleanly as possible. He got in and sped away, assuming correctly that they merely thought him eager to find the missing pair. They were right, he did; but just not for the same reasons. He'd make up some crap about finding them there already dead and make sure there wasn't any evidence left lying around that might point the finger at any of his family.

He hadn't covered everything up this long for it all to fall down about his ears now.

xxTheMentalistxx

Ben doggedly tracked Lisbon and Jane until he realised they were backtracking to where Zack had first shot at them and then he moved faster. There had been a couple of odd diversions that had thrown him for a couple of minutes but he wasn't fooled for long. He'd hunted for too many years to get caught out.

He walked quickly, looking ahead avidly in case he caught sight of them amongst the trees ahead. He was going to have to finish this alone, he realised. Once they got back to the fork in the pathway, they would reach the forest track a few minutes after that. It was a more open area and although it made it easier for him to take a shot, it also made it easier for them too. He was assuming that they only reason they hadn't fired before now was that they were saving bullets.

He continued on mentally cursing his brother and nephew to all kinds of hell. If it weren't for them, he'd never have been caught up in all of this. One stupid accident had sent everything spiralling out of control and set Zack off on a psychotic path that was proving more and more difficult to contain. His own son was beginning to be tainted by the very evil that lurked deep within his cousin and after all this was over he knew he was going to have to get him away before he was unable to stop him heading down the same self-destructive. There was only ever going to be one ending for Zack; he didn't want the same fate for Wade.

xxTheMentalistxx

Jane and Lisbon walked steadily on through the undergrowth until eventually the blond began to notice that the forest wasn't quite as dense as before. Looking left and right, he frowned as something clicked in the back of his mind.

"Wait a minute, does this look familiar to you?" Jane asked as he came to a stop and gazed around.

Lisbon turned from where she'd been walking in front of him and surveyed their surroundings with a frown.

"We're in a forest, Jane. There's lots of trees everywhere, of course it looks familiar," she commented wryly.

"Tsk, tsk, Lisbon," he censured lightly as he turned and wandered away from her, staring hard at each tree he passed. "It's that lack of appreciating nature that would have been your downfall if I weren't here."

"Oh, really?" she challenged with a touch of irritation as she watched him seem to be taking a moment to enjoy the scenery. "What the hell are you doing? We need to keep moving."

"Ah-ha!" he suddenly exclaimed before turning to her with a huge grin on his face. He gestured to a small hole in the trunk behind him.

"What?" she demanded brusquely when he wasn't any further forthcoming.

"Gunshot, my dear," he explained in a slightly patronising tone that had her annoyance rising a notch. "We must be near the fork." He took a couple of steps forward then stopped and glanced around before finally pointing to Lisbon's right as he added, "That way I believe."

The brunette stared back at him in bemusement and shook her head. How the heck he'd recognised the area she'd never know. Everything looked the same to her and she would've most probably carried on walking completely in the wrong direction. She'd be damned if she let him know that though.

"Fine. Can we go now?" she queried sardonically.

"After you," he replied lightly as he raised his arm and gestured for her to lead the way.

Lisbon rolled her eyes at his mocking gallantry and stalked off.

xxTheMentalistxx

"Thank you for your time," Van Pelt said to the elderly homeowner with a rather forced smile.

It was only the second house they'd visited but she was already trying to damp down her frustration at getting nowhere. She wondered how the others were doing and hoped against hope that they were having better luck than she and Warner were.

"You ready for the next one?" the deputy asked in a low voice after they had got back into his car.

"Sure," the red head replied flatly as she placed the laptop on her knees and opened it up.

She doubted that anything would be showing but still felt a pang of disappointment when she was proved right. With a long sigh, she tapped in a code and waited for everything to refresh again.

Warner started the car and headed smoothly down the road, glancing over at the computer screen every now and then.

"Anything?" he queried.

"No," she answered then stiffened suddenly as two small dots unexpectedly appeared on the screen. "Wait, I've got something. I think I've got their phones," she exclaimed with growing excitement. She turned the laptop towards the deputy. "Where is that?"

The young officer slowed down and pulled over then took the computer from her to get a better look.

"It's near the Kinsella cabin," he said after a few moments. "We're heading that way as it is and the Sheriff should be there soon."

"Great, let's get going," Van Pelt instructed as she took the laptop back so he could drive again.

Heart hammering in her chest, she pulled out her phone and tried Lisbon's number. It went straight to voicemail and so she dialled Cho next. The line was awful, breaking up every few seconds until it finally disconnected. With a tut of frustration, she tried to send a text message to both Rigsby and Cho. It seemed to go and she just hoped they received it.

"How far are we out?" she asked, staring at the tiny dots lest they disappear again.

"About fifteen minutes," Warner replied.

"Make it ten," she ordered curtly, flicking the deputy a stern look.

The young man's eyes widened and he murmured a, "Yes, ma'am," before pressing down harder on the gas pedal.

xxTheMentalistxx

Ben neared the fork, moving even swifter than before. He could literally feel the time slipping away from him. Then, all of a sudden he saw something…or rather he saw him. The late afternoon sun catching his blond hair, making it stand out like a beacon.

He took a few more steps then raised his rifle and stared down the sight of the barrel. It was a clear shot but before he could take it, the man moved then stopped again. A branch obscured the view to his head, but not his body.

Ben readied his gun again; took aim…then fired.

xxTheMentalistxx

Lisbon automatically ducked and spun around with a startled gasp as soon as she heard the shot ring out. Jane was still a few feet behind and her cry for him to get down died on her lips as the consultant stared back at her with an expression of astonishment on his handsome, but extremely pale, face.

"Jane?" she queried, her voice no more than a fearful whisper as she straightened up and took an involuntary step towards him.

He shook his head slightly and reached around his left side to his back. His legs wobbled violently then he let out a strangled groan as they suddenly gave out and he dropped to his knees. Bringing his hand back around, Lisbon put her hand to her mouth in shock as she saw that it was covered in blood.

Stunned, Jane could only stare at his hand in disbelief before the pain in his back became overwhelming.

"Lisbon," he gasped as everything closed in around him then, with a little cry, he fell forward onto the leafy ground.

END CHAPTER 7


	8. Chapter 8

Lisbon's heart almost stopped before thundering into a manic rhythm as Jane fell to the ground in a heap. Her first inclination was to run to his side and check for a pulse but a sudden movement in the trees caught her eye and her police training kicked in.

Ducking behind a nearby tree, she tried to get her wildly beating heart and rapid breathing under some control. There was nothing she could do for her consultant if she were shot as well. She had to pray he'd just passed out and that she could help him once she'd dealt with the shooters.

Closing her eyes, she pressed herself back against the rough bark and took a few deep, calming breaths. With slightly shaking hands, she held the rifle close to her chest, her fingers tightening around the cool metal in an effort to stop them from trembling. She needed to be focussed. She needed to get herself under control. For him.

Opening her eyes she took one final heaving breath then ever so slowly moved around the trunk of the tree. Cautiously, she peered out, scanning the area to see if she could locate any of the men. She knew she only had four bullets. She had to make them count.

There was a faint rustling in the distance to the left and she tried to pinpoint where it came from but with the amount of foliage, she couldn't be certain if it were one of the men or just local wildlife.

She waited a few seconds and the noise came again followed by the distinct sound of a twig snapping. Her head jerked slightly, following the sound and she noted a telltale movement in a patch of ferns. They were getting nearer. Probably wanting to find her and finish the job. From where she stood, she couldn't get a decent line of sight so she glanced around, assessing which tree would provide the most cover but also afford her the best shot.

Slowly, she repositioned herself back behind the trunk then bent down and used the tall fronds as cover while she stealthily made her way to the tree she'd decided on. It was one of the few times she was grateful for her petite stature. It made concealment relatively easy and she let out a huff of relief when she made it to her goal unnoticed.

Peeking out, she was reassured to find she had a perfect line to the area she thought the men were in. She glanced over to where Jane still lay motionless and swallowed down the feeling of dread and nausea that seemed stuck in her throat. Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes but she blinked them away rapidly before determinedly turning her attention back to the imminent danger at hand. She couldn't let herself think that Jane might be bleeding out as she played this game of cat and mouse. She just had to believe he was going to be alright; there was no other possible outcome. Not when she hadn't even told him how she felt yet. Fate couldn't be that cruel, could it?

Raising the rifle, she closed an eye then looked through the sight, scanning the area for a glimpse of the perpetrators.

There was nothing obvious until she heard a low groan come from her consultant. The almost knee sagging, wonderful feeling of relief she felt at having some indication that he was still alive was suddenly tempered by the emergence of a gun barrel from the ferns opposite. Ever so slowly, it edged forward until she saw Ben's head. His eyes darted around before his gaze settled on Jane, who chose that moment to let out another moan and shift slightly.

After another cursory glance around, she saw Ben quickly ready his rifle. Her breath caught as she realised what he was about to do and without any thought for her own safety she took a step out from behind the tree. The diversion was enough distraction for him to catch out the corner of his eye and he immediately swung the long barrel in her direction but by then Lisbon had already pulled the trigger.

Ben didn't even make a sound as the bullet penetrated his skull and burst out the back of his head in a spray of blood. Bone and brain matter splattered against the tree behind him as he slumped backwards, dead before what was left of his head ever touched the leafy ground.

Lisbon took in a few shaky breaths then realised belatedly that no one else had taken a shot at her even though she was an easy target. She looked around a little wildly as she hastily stumbled towards Jane, holding the rifle in hands that were trembling once more as her breathing became laboured. She knew she was starting to panic but it wasn't until her consultant muttered her name and moved his arm that she finally got a grip on herself.

If anyone else was there or nearby she knew she would have been dead by now. For whatever reason, Jane's shooter was alone and she silently thanked God for that tiny piece of providence.

Dropping to her knees by his side, she put the rifle down and reached out to lay her hand against his cheek as she bent in close to him.

"Jane? Jane, can you hear me?" she asked urgently. He was frighteningly pale and cool to the touch. She knew that wasn't good and gently began to stroke his face, trying to garner a response.

The blond fought the fogginess that kept trying to drag him back down and forced his eyes open. He tried to focus on her face but it was hard when he was in so much agony.

"It hurts," he managed to get out through gritted teeth. Of their own volition, his eyelids fell shut only to snap open again seconds later as he let out a hiss of pain when he felt Lisbon lift his jacket and check out his wound.

"I know it does but I don't think the bullet hit anything major," she determined, her voice wavering a little as she stared at the wound. It was a through and through and his shirt, vest and jacket were already soaked with blood and there was nothing she could do to staunch the flow. Not out here without hope of medical attention. The best she could do was actually the worst in this situation and that was to move him. "You're losing a lot of blood. We need to get you out of here."

"OK," he murmured readying himself. He knew moving was going to hurt like hell.

There was no easy, gentle way to get him up and she bullied him through every step of it as she all but hauled him to his feet. He wavered unsteadily on shaky legs, his ashen face contorted with pain as he tried to keep himself upright when she ducked down to pick up the rifle. After slipping the gun strap over her shoulder, she propped herself under his left arm to support his frame. Mindful of his injury, she wrapped her right arm firmly, but gently, around his waist and held onto his left hand where it curled around her neck.

He leaned on her heavily, grimacing with every step they took. Pain radiated out from his injury sending shock wave after shock wave through his body, making it hard to breathe let alone put one foot in front of the other. His vision seemed permanently blurred and as much as he wanted to continue, it was apparent to him after no more than a couple hundred yards that he just simply couldn't go on.

"It's no good. I…I have to stop," he gasped out, stumbling a little.

"No," Lisbon denied him curtly as she determinedly walked on. She could see the fork up ahead and beyond that she knew would be the road. She'd drag him back to civilisation if she damn well had to. "It isn't far now, Jane, you have to keep going."

"I…can't," he panted, leaning on her even heavier than before. "Please, Lisbon."

She faltered under his weight slightly but refused to give in.

"No."

They took a few more excruciatingly slow steps before his legs finally gave way and she was forced to quickly grab hold of him to stop him from collapsing.

"Just…leave me. You can get reach the road faster…without me," he said as he struggled to stand again. "Please, Lisbon."

The brunette stared at his wan face and felt her stomach drop. His pupils were so dilated they were almost completely black. Everything inside her screamed to just ignore him but she seeing the amount of agony he was in, the part of her that loved him wholly just couldn't bear to put him through any further pain.

She looked around. She knew the other two men were still out there. Even if they weren't with the man she'd killed, she had to assume that they wouldn't be too far behind and at the speed she and Jane were going, it'd only be a matter of time before they caught up.

She hated it, but be was right of course; she could get to the road quicker without him. The forest wasn't quite so dense now but if she could find somewhere suitable to hide him, then it was the sensible thing to do, not just for their plight but for him too. Walking was only making him bleed more and she couldn't bear to even contemplate the implications of what that meant.

"Come on. Over here," she directed as she helped him shuffle over to a nearby tree.

Dropping the rifle, she eased him down onto the ground, making sure he couldn't be obviously seen from the fork and he settled back against the trunk with a relieved sigh.

"Thank you," he said with a weak smile. "I knew you'd…see I was right after all."

"Oh please, I'm just leaving you here because I can't stand to hear you keep moaning," Lisbon replied with a half-hearted attempt at a derisive snort.

Impossibly, he seemed to have gone a shade whiter just from the last few steps and her heart began to hammer in fear as the insidious thought that he just might not make it began to wend its way through her mind.

He found enough energy to grin then blinked a couple of times to get his focus back so that he could look at her properly. The right side of her sage green top was stained with his blood from where he'd leaned on her for support. The bruise on face was turning a ghastly purple colour that stood out on her pale face and she had a streak of dirt across her left cheek. Her lips were lifted into a soft smile but her eyes…her eyes gave away exactly how scared she was and how desperately she was trying to hide it. More than that, he knew it was fear for him and not their situation.

His grin faded to a sad smile. He knew he was in a bad way but he couldn't let on just how drained he was starting to feel. How cold it was getting. She wouldn't leave him if she knew and he didn't want that. He wanted her to go and contact the others. To be safe.

"Hey, don't worry, I'm going…to be fine," he told her dismissively as he covered a sudden shudder by reaching out his hand and gently patting her knee. "You just go and…do all the heroic stuff…you usually do and don't forget…to come back for me…OK? I promise…I'll stay right here."

Unbidden tears suddenly pricked at the back of Lisbon's eyes again but this time she couldn't find the fortitude within herself to hold them back. She took hold of his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"You and your promises," she murmured affectionately as a lone tear slowly rolled down her cheek. "How do I know you won't sneak off the moment my back's turned?"

He let out a grunt of amusement and shook his head slightly enjoying the feel of her hand on his…it was the only part of him that felt warm now. "I think this is one promise…I can safely say I'll keep."

Another tear forced its way out and she dashed it away with her free hand. There was so much she wanted to say to him but it felt as though if she did, she was admitting that this was the end and she couldn't…she wouldn't accept that. There was more to this thing between them than a few meaningful glances and a handful of flirtatious comments. There had to be.

Suddenly, an ear splitting howl pierced the air causing them both to jump. Another joined in and it took mere seconds for them to realise that the pitiful mournful wails they were hearing were from baying canines.

"There were dogs at the cabin," Lisbon remembered. "The other men must have brought them and they've found the body of the guy that shot you. They're close."

"Then you need to go," Jane said urgently, the thought of her in danger enough to rouse him momentarily out of the stupor he was gradually succumbing to. There was just one last thing he had to do. Grimacing slightly, he reached into his inside pocket and pulled out his notebook of Red John suspects. He gazed at it a moment then held it out to her, his mouth set in a grim line. "Here, I want you to have this in case I…" he paused and looked away before concluding, "Just take it, Teresa. There's no one else I trust to finish what I started."

Her heart skipped at what he was implying and she stared at the inoffensive looking book then at the bowed down head of the man she loved. Life really was too short and she suddenly vowed not to waste another moment of it when it came to him. Silently, she reached out and took it from his hand then hastily shoved it into the back pocket of her jeans.

Letting go of his hand, she reached out and cupped his cheek. Turning his face so that he had to look at her, she bent in close so that he could have no doubt about what she said next.

"Once this is over, I'm going to give it back to you," she told him meaningfully.

He managed a small smile and a nod of acknowledgement in response then before he knew what was happening, she suddenly leaned forward and kissed him hard on the lips. Jane savoured the all too brief taste of her before she pulled away again to look at him tenderly.

"Stay safe. I love you," she whispered and then she was gone.

He stared after her, a feeling of joy, amazement and sadness all mixing together in a heady cocktail of emotion that filled his entire being and threatened to overcome him.

"I love you too," he murmured with a smile then let his head drop back against the trunk as she disappeared from view. He fervently wished and hoped that it wouldn't be the last time he ever saw her but the cold was seeping into his bones now. It felt good; it made him numb to the pain. Numb to everything.

Except her kiss and her words, those he would remember until the day he died. He just hoped it wasn't today.

Then, moments later, his eyes slid shut and his head lolled slackly to the side.

END CHAPTER 8


	9. Chapter 9

The sound of a gunshot echoed through the woods pulling Zack and Wade up short. They glanced at each other then hurried on.

Zack took the lead, eager to find out what had happened. He just hoped to God that his uncle had merely maimed one of them and not killed them outright.

"The dogs are onto something," called Wade from behind as the hounds noticeably picked up their speed.

"It's about time," Zack groused irritably. "I can't believe Ben let those Fed's get this far."

The dogs began to whine and the two young men broke into a jog to keep up with them as they began tugging hard on their leashes. Zack expected to see his uncle step out and tell them to keep the noise down any minute but instead the dogs veered off into a patch of ferns.

"What the…?" he exclaimed then broke off as he was greeted with the gruesome sight of his dead uncle.

The dogs whined as they sniffed around the corpse and pawed anxiously at the ground while Zack surveyed the scene impassively. He noted the blood and splatter that coated the leaves and tree bark in the surrounding area then returned his gaze to his deceased uncle. He bent and touched his hand, noting it was still warm then stood again. The bullet hole in his uncle's forehead was perfectly dead centre. Whichever of the Fed's did it was an excellent shot. He'd have to remember that.

"Oh my God! No. Dad!" cried Wade in horror as he pushed passed his cousin and fell to the ground by the side of his father. He reached out and desperately shook the inert body as if it might miraculously bring him back to life. "Dad? Dad!"

"Save it, Wade, he's not going to hear you," Zack sneered, a cruel smile lifting his lips. Frankly, he was glad the old bastard was dead. It saved him having to do it. Although, in a way he had, it was his gun they'd used after all.

"Shut up, Zack," Wade snapped angrily, tears running down his cheeks as he looked up and gave the other man a furious glare only to see red when he saw that he was smiling.

He'd always known his cousin was a cold son of a bitch but that was too much. The grief and devastation of losing his father quickly mutated to an overwhelming anger against the person he ultimately held responsible. He stood up suddenly then lunged at Zack, swinging his arm wildly as he attempted to hit him.

Zack dodged him easily and laughed derisively when his cousin stumbled over onto the ground. Wade went to get up but, all of a sudden, his stomach churned ominously, the stark reality of seeing his father shot in the head too much for him to take. He managed to get onto his hands and knees just in time before he emptied the contents of his stomach onto the leaf strewn ground.

Zack snorted in disgust and shook his head. He was about to comment when one of the dogs suddenly tilted its head back and let out a mournful howl as it realised that its master wasn't just asleep. Seconds later, the other hound joined in causing him to wince in annoyance at the noise.

"Can't you shut those damn mutts up?" he demanded brusquely as he placed a hard kick on the side of the one that he held on a leash causing it to yelp in pain. "The Fed's will know where we are."

Wade stood and wiped a shaky hand across his mouth. His stomach ached from the strain of vomiting and his throat burned.

"Quiet," he ordered hoarsely then repeated himself a little louder when the one still yarling didn't immediately obey. "I said quiet!"

It stopped and looked at him with a whine. He went over and picked up its leash and his rifle, where he'd dropped it to run to his father and tried not to let his eyes stray to the body again. He couldn't stomach it.

"Body's still warm, that means the Fed's can't be far," Zack stated dispassionately as he turned away. "If you've finished puking, we can go get them."

Wade watched him walk off, a mixture of disgust and hatred swirling around inside of him. His father had been so right about Zack. He'd always said that his nephew's erratic behaviour would bring everything crashing down about their ears and it had, with his dad paying the price. Indirectly, it was true, but it was still all down to Zack and his inability to curb his increasingly psychotic behaviour.

"It's your fault Dad's dead," Wade accused raggedly, his grip tightening on his rifle as his mouth thinned into a determined line.

Zack stopped and turned around slowly, eyebrows raised.

"I didn't kill him, the Fed's did," he corrected casually.

"And who brought them here? Who let them escape?" his cousin demanded, his voice cracking as he pointed his gun at him. "It was you, all you, Zack."

The dark haired man tensed at the obvious threat then noticed the way Wade's hands trembled and how he shifted a little nervously from foot to foot. Slowly, he smiled and took a step towards him.

"So what if it was? What are you going to do about it, Wade? Shoot me?" he goaded mockingly before sneering, "You don't have the balls, the past few months have proved that…always a little too slow to make it to the final kill, aren't you? Don't think I haven't noticed."

"Just shut the hell up," his cousin ground out as more tears made their way down his face at the taunts.

"How about if I tell you that I don't care that Ben got it? That the Fed's did me a favour and I just wish I'd been here to see it," Zack jeered nastily. "Does that give you the guts to pull the trigger, cousin?"

Wade drew in a sharp breath, his whole body jerking from trying to control the grief and anger that Zack had ignited within him. Knowing the gun was primed to fire, his finger rested against the trigger and he willed himself to squeeze the little metal clip back.

Zack watched him for a few moments, noting the way the gun wavered and the conflicted expression that contorted his cousin's face as he warred with himself.

Suddenly, Wade let out a tortured cry of frustration and despair that he couldn't go through with it and lowered the rifle with a stifled sob. Zack shook his head and looked at his cousin pityingly.

"I knew you couldn't do it, Wade. Too much of a coward to shoot me when I'm facing you…but I can't take the chance that you won't do it when my back's turned," he said on a sigh then, before his cousin had any notion of what was about to happen, Zack raised his gun and shot him right in the stomach. At such close range, the other young man didn't stand a chance.

Wade cried out in shock and pain as he fell backwards writhing in agony. The dogs started barking crazily and Zack coolly turned then fired off two more shots effectively silencing them for good before turning back to his cousin. He walked over and looked down at him blankly. The young man was gasping shallowly now, his life slowly ebbing away. Normally he liked to watch them bleed out, enjoyed seeing them take their last breaths, but he knew the noise would've alerted the Fed's and he had to move quickly now.

Without a second thought he levelled the gun and blasted a bullet right into Wade's head. 'Like father, like son,' he thought in amusement before calmly reloading his rifle then turning and jogging away.

xxTheMentalistxx

Lisbon ran quickly to the fork her feet moving swiftly through the undergrowth that had thinned out into a wider, easier track that she assumed the van had driven along to take them to the cabin.

She moved over to one side trying to use the trees as some kind of protection when she could. Rifle in one hand and cellphone in the other, she glanced at it every few seconds willing just one tiny bar to appear so that she might try and call Cho.

The entire time she ran her thoughts were on Jane, desperately hoping that he was going to hold on. She'd felt his hand getting colder and colder as they'd spoken, knew if he wasn't seen by a doctor soon it would be too late. Just past the fork and around a bend, she checked her phone again then felt her heart skip as she saw a single lone bar in the top corner. It wasn't lost on her that had they just managed to take the right path in the first place, none of this would've happened. She stopped and darted behind a tree as she pressed Cho's speed dial number with slightly trembling hands.

"Come on, come on," she muttered urgently as she waited for the sound of a ring tone to come down the extremely crackly line. When it went straight to voicemail, Lisbon felt the disappointment of it like a stab to the heart and before she could even leave a message the call suddenly disconnected, the signal lost. "Damn it."

She was about to continue on when the sound of a car engine reached her ears. Her immediate inclination was to run towards it but then she thought better of it and moved back further behind the tree just in case. She peeked around the trunk and a couple of seconds later a police car rolled into view. Lisbon felt such an enormous wave of relief crash through her that she had to cling to the bark for a moment to keep herself upright before finding her legs again and dashing out from her hiding place.

"Oh, thank God," she said as Sheriff Newland stopped the car and got out.

"Agent Lisbon, are you alright? We've been searching for you," he said, his surprise at seeing her not forced. He had expected to find her at the cabin. Obviously she'd escaped. It was worse than he'd originally thought.

Just then, three gunshots echoed loudly through the woods causing Lisbon to spin around in her tracks and stare back at where she came from in shock. Her body seemed to go ice cold before heating up suddenly as a feeling of nausea took hold.

"No," she murmured fearfully before looking over at the Sheriff and ordering curtly, "Radio in for back up and an ambulance. Now!"

Turning away, she started to run; her only thought to get back to Jane. Another shot sounded and her stomach lurched sickeningly. There could only be one reason for the gunfire and the mental image of her consultant sitting there unprotected and in no state to even put up a fight as he was executed tortured her relentlessly, spurring her on.

She'd never forgive herself for leaving him. Ever.

XxTheMentalistxx

Zack came to a halt and looked down at a patch of bloody leaves in interest. There was a trail of blood drops leading away and he began to follow it slowly. It appeared that Ben had managed to get a good hit on one of the Fed's before he bought it himself. That was something at least. Zack had had visions of chasing them clear back to Arcata.

At least now he knew that they were hindered and from the relatively consistent drops of blood that the injured one was leaving in their wake, they were pathetically easy to follow too. It was disappointing in a way, took the fun out of it.

He walked on a couple more steps then saw that there were a few red droplets close to each other then nothing. He held his rifle a little tighter and checked the surrounding area until he spied another splash of blood on a light coloured leaf a little further along on his left.

He went over to it and then saw another a little further over again. He followed the new trail then looked up and saw that it seemed to be heading towards a particular tree just a few feet away. A slow smile spread across his face as he readied his gun and headed over.

xxTheMentalistxx

Breathing heavily, Lisbon rounded the bend and came to the fork. She slowed down to a walk and raised her gun as she edged forwards. Through the trees, she suddenly caught sight of Zack standing a few feet away from her consultant's hiding place and her stomach rolled unpleasantly. In her head, seeing him there merely confirmed her dreadful fear that he'd killed Jane. It didn't even register that when he began moving it were toward the tree rather than away.

Tears threatened again but she blinked the moisture away, stubbornly refusing to let them fall this time. She'd mourn later when she was alone. Not now. Not when she still had to get the guy that had taken Jane from her.

"Hold it right there," she called out, her voice strong and commanding despite the grief she felt. Zack froze then slowly turned to look at her, a malicious grin blooming on his face. Lisbon fought the near irresistible urge to just pull the trigger and the consequences by damned. Instead she quickly approached him and warned curtly, "Put down the gun, right now."

Zack stared back at her completely unconcerned. "And what if I don't?" he asked challengingly.

"I'll shoot you," the agent replied without hesitation.

"I don't think so, Agent Lisbon," suddenly came the Sheriff's voice from just behind her.

Her head snapped around in surprise. She hadn't even heard him approach.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked incredulously as she warily eyed the pistol that he had trained, not on the killer, but her instead.

"I would've thought that was obvious," he replied, releasing the safety on his gun. "I'm protecting my son."

Lisbon looked back at him aghast. His son? Suddenly, the lack of evidence for any of the victims made sense now. He'd obviously been covering it up and probably paid Hicks off too. Hard on the heels of that enlightenment was the terrifying realisation that Newland most definitely wouldn't have called for back up.

There would be no one to help her now, she was all alone.

Taking an involuntary step back, she grasped her rifle tighter as she channelled all her grief and fear into a steely new resolve. A determined expression settled on her face as her gaze flicked from one man to the other assessing which one she was going to go for first.

The odds might be stacked heavily against her, but she'd be damned if she wasn't going to go down fighting.

END CHAPTER 9


	10. Chapter 10

"Despatch confirms that back up's on its way," said Warner as he ended his call and looked over at Grace. "They're sending an ambulance too, just in case."

Van Pelt nodded then focussed on her laptop trying to quell her growing alarm. The little dot representing Jane's phone didn't seem to be moving anymore.

"Maybe he just dropped it," Warner suggested as he navigated a tight bend.

"I hope that's all it is," Grace replied with apprehension. She couldn't understand what was going on. Lisbon's dot was as erratic as Jane's was stationery. "How long before we get there?"

"Only another couple of minutes," he answered as he turned off the trail and onto the track that led to the cabin. "It's just up here."

The ground was bumpy and Warner was forced to slow a little. As frustrating as it was when they were so close, Van Pelt remained quiet and kept her eyes glued to the screen, worried that if she looked away even for a second, the connection might be lost somehow.

There had still been no reply from Cho or Rigsby and she hadn't been able to contact the Sheriff either. The fact that Warner had told her that Newland hadn't radioed in for help was also a concern. She just wished she knew what was happening.

"That's Sheriff Newland's car," exclaimed Warner in surprise as he pulled up behind it. "I don't see him though."

Grace looked up with a frown and glanced around the area. He'd obviously stopped for a reason and the GPS was pointing to Lisbon and Jane being directly ahead. She debated whether to try Cho again then decided that time was of the essence and put the laptop onto the dash.

"They should be a little further up the track. Maybe Sheriff Newland has found them but hasn't had a chance to radio it in yet," she said hopefully. "Let's take a look around and see if we can find them."

Warner nodded his assent and they both got out of the car. Grace pulled out her gun and cautiously set off along the track, walking past the other vehicle and beyond with the deputy keeping close by her side.

xxTheMentalistxx

Jane awoke with a start. Something had disturbed his sleep but he couldn't immediately pinpoint the source. He opened his eyes and blinked blearily as he groggily tried to get his bearings. Trees, trees and more trees…and a God awful throbbing in his side. He let out a low groan of displeasure. It hadn't just been a bad dream after all; he really had been shot.

Despite his pain, he still managed a small smile to himself. At least if that part was true, then the kiss Lisbon had planted on him and those words she'd said must have happened too. Silver lining, right there.

The woods suddenly echoed with a loud gunshot snapping him back to acute awareness more effectively than a bucket of freezing cold water over his head. He drew in a sharp fearful breath as he automatically tensed. Subtle though the inadvertent movement was, it still provoked a dart of pain from his injury causing him to clutch at his side with a grimace and bite down on his lip to hold back a groan.

Squeezing his eyes closed, he hoped against hope that the shot hadn't been meant for Lisbon but his brain just couldn't seem to come up with any other plausible explanation no matter how hard he willed it to.

Panic began to well in his chest at the thought that she might be lying hurt, or worse, nearby and his not being able to do anything about it. He wasn't a man who believed in signs or omens but right at that moment he would give anything to have some indication that Lisbon was still alive and well.

The sound of rustling leaves and the snap of a twig suddenly alerted him to the fact that someone was slowly approaching. His eyelids flew open in alarm. If it was Lisbon, he was sure she would've spoken to him by now, but this person was close and getting closer every second. He futilely looked around for something…anything to protect himself but there was nothing would do much against a gun. His heart picked up its rhythm as the dire situation he was in hit home. He was the proverbial sitting duck.

"Hold it right there."

Jane almost laughed out loud in relief when he unexpectedly heard Lisbon's voice ring out strong and clear and very, very much alive. Her timing was as impeccable as always. His respite was short lived however when he heard the rest of the exchange and then the Sheriff threw in a sudden curveball that even he hadn't seen coming.

Naturally, it explained a lot of things but that was hardly useful when Lisbon was in serious trouble. He looked around on the forest floor again and saw just what he was after a couple of feet away. It would hurt like the devil to reach it but it was just the distraction he needed.

xxTheMentalistxx

Lisbon stared first at the Sheriff then at Zack and back again. She knew that she was only going to get one chance to try something so she had to make it count. She decided that Zack would be her target and hoped that if she moved quickly enough, Newland's parental instincts would kick in again and he wouldn't chance trying to shoot her in case he hit his son.

Her heart began to thump as the adrenaline started to thrum around her body making her breathing speed up. Just as she was about to launch herself at Zack, a loud cracking sound of wood splintering seemed to echo around them.

All three of them started in surprise and Zack immediately spun away trying to figure out what had caused the noise.

With Zack's back turned, Lisbon recovered quickly and promptly grabbed her chance. Without a second thought, she swung her rifle and hit the unsuspecting Sheriff hard on his wrist. He let out a yell of pain and surprise as his arm flew outwards from the impact and the pistol slipped from his grasp. The action flung the handgun in a high arc through the air to be lost a few feet away in the undergrowth.

Zack turned at the commotion and levelled his rifle, but Lisbon was already upon him having launched herself at the younger man as soon as she'd disarmed the Sheriff. She bodily charged into him, causing him to fall backwards and his finger reflexively jerked on the trigger from the impact. The bullet sliced through the air then struck the Sheriff in his right shoulder extracting yet another agonised roar from the injured man.

Lisbon and Zack landed on the ground in a tangled heap, the young man's rifle jolted out of his hands from the force of the hard fall. It skittered away across the leaves as Lisbon quickly pushed herself up and off him still holding onto her own rifle for dear life.

Zack immediately kicked out his leg and swiped her feet from under her, making her fall heavily onto her back. Her arms flung out but this time she couldn't quite keep a grip of her gun and it bumped from her grasp as she felt the breath literally knocked out of her from the fall.

Zack was on top of her in an instant, straddling her slim thighs as he pinned her arms above her head with a grin. His gaze raked down her body then he leaned in close to her as she struggled ineffectually underneath him, trying to buck him off.

"Makes me feel real good when you move like that," he told her, panting slightly as he pressed down upon her body even more.

"Stop messing around and just kill her, Zack," his father ground out from where he sat on the ground nearby, grimacing in pain. "I need to get to a hospital."

Zack glanced over at his father unconcernedly then turned back to Lisbon dipping his head even nearer to her as if to give her a kiss. Lisbon's lips curled back in disgust as the young man's breath fanned across her face in hot, rapid bursts. She hated the feeling of helplessness that their position invoked and it fuelled her anger, inciting her to jerk her head forward in a purely instinctive action and cracking him hard in the face with her forehead.

Zack immediately cried out then let go of her arms and sat back, cupping his bleeding nose. Ignoring her own pain from the violent contact, Lisbon quickly clasped her now free hands together then brought them down in a swinging arc to land squarely on his groin.

"You bitch!" he yelped as he placed a hand against the now throbbing area.

Lisbon easily pushed off the incapacitated man then turned over and scrambled up onto her hands and knees. She quickly lunged for the gun but Zack was made of sterner stuff than she'd anticipated and just as her fingertips touched the cool metal for the briefest of seconds her head was suddenly wrenched backwards as he grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her up.

She let out a little cry of pain as her hands went to her head to try and ease the ripping feeling of it being pulled out by its very roots. He let her go and she caught a fleeting look of his furious expression before he slapped her hard across the cheek with the back of his hand. Her head snapped to the side from the force of the blow and she staggered slightly as her senses swam. She lashed out at him blindly but when he hit her again, fist connecting solidly with her jaw, she went down, struggling to stay conscious.

After a few moments, Zack came and stood over her, moving to straddle her petite frame as his now procured rifle dangled casually from one hand. He stared down at the groaning brunette emotionlessly, blood streaked across his face from where he'd carelessly wiped at his nose and his eyes still watery from the dull ache that was emanating from his groin.

Lisbon desperately tried to fight through the foggy cloud that had wrapped itself around her brain and make one last ditch effort at an attempt to grab the gun but her body felt like lead. It took every ounce of willpower she had just to lift her hand only for it fall back to the ground as she channelled everything she had into just clinging onto consciousness.

Silently, Zack raised the rifle and Lisbon's eyes slid shut. She didn't want her last image to be of him, she wanted it to be of Jane, smiling and golden. A small smile touched her lips as her mind conjured up just the memory she wanted then, suddenly, a shot rang out, then another.

Lisbon gasped and tensed, waiting for the ensuing pain to encompass her body…but nothing happened. She heard a grunt then a thump then running.

"No!" the Sheriff exclaimed, his drawn out voice cracking in misery.

Slowly, she opened her eyes in confusion. Instead of seeing Zack standing over her, it was a very worried looking Van Pelt who was just holstering her gun.

"Are you OK, Boss?" the redhead asked urgently as she dropped to her knees by the brunette's side and began checking over her.

"I…I think so," Lisbon murmured as she attempted to move, the reprieve from certain death was a little disorientating and she needed a few moments to gather her wits about her again. "What happened?"

Van Pelt helped her to sit up and she saw Zack lying at the bottom of her feet, one bullet hole to his chest and another to his head.

"I shot him," the junior agent explained. "He was going to kill you."

Lisbon nodded and gave her a grateful, albeit small, smile as a thousand questions raced through her still slightly foggy brain but she pushed them all aside for later. Right now, she needed to get to Jane.

"Thanks. Great shooting, Grace. Now, help me up," she ordered, grasping Van Pelt's arm.

"But the blood…you're hurt, you should stay still," the redhead told her as she pointedly stared at the dark red stain on the brunette's top.

"It's not mine," she said her voice laced with trepidation.

Van Pelt's eyes widened in alarm as she realised what that meant and hurriedly helped her boss to stand. As she'd feared, Jane hadn't just dropped his phone after all.

Head throbbing, Lisbon swayed slightly as dizziness overcame her for a moment. When the spinning sensation had abated, she glanced over and saw that Deputy Warner was standing near to the Sheriff, his gun trained on his superior even though his face still displayed the visible shock of hearing the man call out so unhappily at the demise of a murderer and was now in tears.

"Be careful, he's in on it," the brunette cautioned as she walked unsteadily by. "That was his son."

Warner swallowed hard and nodded in acknowledgment, his grip tightening around his pistol as he looked back down at the broken man before him. He'd never have suspected him to be a part of something like that in a million years.

"Oh my God," Van Pelt breathed as Lisbon made her revelation. "No wonder he was so keen to search for you here. He knew where you'd be."

Lisbon felt better now that she was walking and sped up her pace. Her desire to get to Jane was all consuming but as they rounded the tree where she'd left him, she pulled up short with a gasp. Instead of propped up against the trunk, the consultant now lay on his front, a large broken branch clasped in his right hand. It was he that had caused the distraction in the first place she realised as her stomach gave a sickening lurch. But what had it cost him?

"We need an ambulance," Lisbon choked out as she hurried to Jane's side.

"One's on its way," Van Pelt told her. "It should be here soon."

Lisbon nodded then, almost hesitantly, reached out and placed her fingers to her consultant's neck checking for a pulse. A horrible dread gripped her heart as she couldn't find anything at first but then she moved her hand slightly and there it was…faint, but definitely there. She sagged in relief and felt the first trickle of sudden tears roll down her cheeks as she sought out his free hand and gripped it tightly.

Its coldness shocked her but then in the far distance she suddenly heard the welcome sound of the emergency vehicle sirens. The tears continued to run unchecked down her face as she stared down at the man she loved.

They'd won and everything was going to be fine. She refused to think otherwise.

She couldn't lose him now.

END CHAPTER 10


	11. Chapter 11

Emotionally, Lisbon was numb. She had been ever since they'd taken Jane away in the ambulance.

Everything appeared to be happening at a lightning pace around her; the many voices and sounds that she associated with a busy hospital merging into one loud continuous buzzing noise as she sat listlessly staring at the opposite stark white wall of the waiting room area.

In contrast, she didn't think there was a part of her body that wasn't aching. After the ordeal she'd been through, it was hardly surprising but she had yet to agree to go and get checked out even though Van Pelt had urged her on a number of occasions since they'd arrived at the hospital.

All she cared about was Jane. The waiting for news was interminable, the hands of the clock ticking so slowly that even the seconds seemed like hours to her overwrought mind.

She thought back to earlier that evening when Van Pelt had gone to meet the paramedic's to lead them back to where Jane lay. Once alone, she had scrubbed her face clear of her useless tears then reached out to gently brush back some of the consultant's dirty blond hair before running her hand down his inert features as she'd leaned down to look at him.

"Jane? Jane, can you hear me?" she'd asked. His skin had felt a little clammy under her fingers and she knew enough about blood loss to have recognised that he was going into severe hypovolemic shock.

She'd swallowed hard around the lump that had formed in her throat and had tried to speak to him again but she couldn't seem to force her voice to work. She'd glanced around, wondering what was taking Van Pelt so long even though it had only been a couple of minutes…and then she'd felt it. Ever so slightly, Jane's hand had squeezed hers in response. She'd looked back down at him and heard him emit a low groan before he'd slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh, thank God," she'd breathed in relief as she'd ducked her head down so he that could see her. She'd given him a watery smile and greeted his return to consciousness with a soft, "Hey."

It had taken him a moment or two to focus on her face but when he did he'd managed a shadow of his usual smile.

"You're safe," he'd murmured his voice laced with obvious relief as his eyes drooped again.

"We both are," she'd assured him. "The paramedic's have just arrived so you need to stay awake, OK?"

"I hate hospitals," he'd grumbled sleepily, eyes still closed.

"I know you do," she'd said in a hushed tone as she ran her hand through his hair again.

"Feels nice," he'd muttered, obviously losing the battle to resist the lure of welcoming blackness that beckoned him back to a place where he stopped hurting.

She remembered smiling at his words before hearing a noise behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she'd been thankful to see Van Pelt finally returning with a paramedic and also Cho who had arrived when the rest of the emergency services had. She'd learned later that the redhead had quickly updated the stoic agent on all that had happened which was why she'd seen him shoot an icy glare at the Sheriff as he'd rapidly marched by him.

"They're here," she'd said urgently, turning back to her consultant but he hadn't responded. She'd called his name a couple of times then the medic had suddenly dropped his bag by her consultant's side and knelt down to begin looking Jane over.

"What have we got?" he'd asked, checking for the blond's pulse and frowning slightly.

Lisbon had briefly outlined the consultant's injury and the man had nodded his thanks as he continued to work methodically.

"Is he going to be OK?" she'd asked, trying to curb the slightly panicked tone in her voice.

He'd glanced at her, his expression serious as he'd replied, "We need to get him to hospital right away."

It's what he didn't say that had disturbed her most, the worried look in his eyes speaking volumes even though he hadn't realised it.

"I want to go with him," she'd stated firmly.

"I'm sorry but with our other patient there's just not going to be room in the ambulance," he'd told her apologetically as he'd stood up.

She'd wanted to argue the point but Cho had cut in saying, "Van Pelt can take you, Boss. One of us needs to go to the hospital and interview Newland anyway. I'll stay here and process the scene."

She'd shot him a grateful smile, suddenly feeing a little lighter; it had been good to let someone else take charge after everything she'd been through and she knew Cho would do an outstanding job. She was lucky to have such a great team around her and made a mental note to make sure she let them know it more often.

Things moved swiftly after that. Jane was carefully moved onto a stretcher then loaded into the ambulance with a sour looking Newland. She'd hardly let go of his hand the entire time, only relinquishing her hold when she'd been forced to and even then it had been reluctantly.

She'd stared after the ambulance as it had driven away, sirens blaring and lights flashing, feeling as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest and dragged along behind it in the slipstream.

That's when the numbness had set in.

Thankfully, Van Pelt had found out which hospital they were going to and Cho had ensured that a couple of deputy's followed so that the Sheriff would have a guard detail once they were there.

For once, the woman that prided herself on being able to handle any situation had been fit for nothing.

"When Rigsby gets here, I'll send him on to the hospital," Cho had informed them as they'd prepared to leave. He'd then paused for a moment before looking at her and adding in a slightly more softer tone than was normal for him, "He'll be fine, Boss, don't worry."

"I know," she'd answered with far more confidence than she'd actually felt and now, as she sat and waited, she was desperately trying hard to summon up even an ounce of that fabricated positive feeling.

Even fake self-assurance was better than none at all.

A flash of movement caught her eye and she looked up hopefully but it was just Van Pelt returning from a visit to the hospital cafeteria. She quelled the burning disappointment she felt and summoned half a smile. It wasn't the young woman's fault that she wasn't the doctor.

"Hi," Grace greeted as she walked over to Lisbon and handed her the cup of coffee she'd just bought. She sat down next to her on one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs then asked, "Any news yet?"

"No," the brunette replied. She took a sip of the hot brew and relished the bitter taste as it slid down her dry throat then gave the agent another small smile as she added, "Thanks for getting this, I needed it."

Van Pelt nodded then drank some of her own coffee before setting it down beside her and glancing at her watch. It had been just over three hours since Jane had been rushed straight through to the operating theatre. Cho had rung her not long after they'd arrived at the hospital to inform her that he'd just sent Rigsby to join them there.

"Let him deal with Newland, you stay with Lisbon just in case it's bad news about Jane," he'd advised.

She'd understood his concern and assured him that she would stay put. Looking at Lisbon, she worriedly eyed the ever deepening bruises that coloured the brunette's face then straightened slightly as she prepared to try and coax her boss to get checked out for the umpteenth time.

"Don't even bother, Grace; I told you, I'm not going anywhere until I know how he's doing," Lisbon said with quiet resolve, forestalling the redhead's words.

Van Pelt let out a sigh of resignation but remained otherwise silent. It was useless to try and force Lisbon into doing anything she didn't want to. She was still amazed that she'd succeeded in persuading her boss to leave the waiting room long enough to go and wash the dirty streaks from her face. True, it'd taken over an hour and had culminated in her saying quite bluntly that Jane wouldn't want to see her in that dishevelled state to get her boss to finally comply, but it was worth it. She'd even managed to purloin a clean top for her from a kind-hearted nurse. It was a little on the large side but much better than the blood stained t-shirt she had been wearing.

She took another sip of her drink and looked around. Out the corner of her eye she noticed a doctor in scrubs enter the waiting area. He was a short man in his mid fifties, his hair colour hidden under a surgical cap and, after a cursory glance at all the occupants, he headed their way.

"Boss," she said, giving the other woman a light nudge on the arm. "I think this is us."

Lisbon looked up and quickly stood as the surgeon came to a halt in front of them.

"Are you here for Mr. Jane?" he asked briskly.

"Yes, I'm Agent Lisbon, this is Agent Van Pelt," the brunette introduced as Grace held out her badge. "How is he?"

The doctor gave the ID the most briefest of glances then turned back the Lisbon with a commiserating smile that had her stomach turn over.

"He's in recovery. The surgery went well, there wasn't too much tissue damage considering. He was very lucky the bullet passed through and missed his major organs but it's his blood loss I'm more concerned with," he explained impassively. "He's suffering from hypovolemia and although we've given him blood transfusions, the next twenty-four to thirty-six hours are critical. Hopefully he'll respond but I suggest you call his family."

Lisbon felt like she'd been punched in the gut. He hadn't really told her anything she didn't already suspect but even so, she couldn't stop the little nagging voice in her head that kept insisting that it was just like Bosco all over again.

But it wasn't, she had to remind herself firmly. Jane's injuries weren't nearly so bad. He would be alright. He would survive.

"We're his family," she stated coolly. "When can I see him?"

A slight rise of his eyebrows was the only indication that he was in any way surprised by what she'd said then he glanced at his watch.

"He probably won't be awake yet but you can have a few minutes with him now before they transfer him to ICU," he allowed then checked the time again. "I have another patient I must attend to but if follow me, I'll show you where to go."

Lisbon nodded her thanks then she and Van Pelt walked quickly behind him towards the recovery room. Once there, the doctor spoke with one of the nurses on duty then hurried away without even a backwards glance of acknowledgement.

"Nice bedside manner," Van Pelt murmured wryly as the nurse he'd talked to bustled over with a friendly smile.

"Dr. Morgan said you could have a few minutes with Mr. Jane," she said warmly in stark contrast to the doctor's emotionless demeanour. "He's just through here. Only one of you I'm afraid though."

Lisbon looked at Van Pelt who merely nodded and took the brunette's coffee from her before saying, "I'll wait for you out in the hall."

The nurse led Lisbon through to the next room and pointed to the bed at the far end where Jane was surrounded by various beeping machinery. His face was as white as the sheets that he lay on and the brunette couldn't help the little gasp of shock she emitted at the ghostly sight of him. It was the first dart of emotion she'd felt in ages.

"His colour should improve over the next few hours," the nurse commented reassuringly as she gave the agent's arm a consoling pat. "I'll be back soon."

Lisbon nodded automatically and waited until the door closed behind her before she moved slowly towards the bed. She came to a halt by its side and looked down upon her sleeping consultant. There was an I.V. in his arm no doubt administering pain medication and some kind of antibiotic and he had tubes in his nose that supplied a steady stream of oxygen. Machines monitored his heart and blood pressure, ready to alert staff if there were any kind of slight alteration in his natural rhythms, but she ignored it all, her gaze completely focussed on his face.

He looked so frail. Nothing like the vibrant, sometimes larger than life, pain in the ass she knew him to be. It was all just so wrong. He shouldn't be that quiet. So still.

Tentatively, she reached out and laid her hand on the bed before sliding it up until she touched the tips of his fingers. He didn't feel cold anymore, she realised with no little amount of relief. Inching further, she covered his hand with hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

The door clicked open behind her and she felt her heart drop that her time with him had already come to an end.

"We're going to be moving Mr. Jane to ICU soon," the nurse informed her quietly.

Not looking around, Lisbon nodded her acknowledgment then bent and closed her eyes as she pressed a lingering soft kiss to her consultant's forehead. Her faint hope that he might stir came to fruition when he suddenly let out a very soft moan. She pulled back immediately, her eyes snapping open to look down at him intently.

"Jane?" she called urgently before turning to the nurse and saying, "I think he's waking up."

The other woman hurried over to opposite side of the bed and began making the usual vitals checks as the blond let out another small groan and moved his head to the side.

"Lisbon?" he whispered, a slight frown marring his face as he tried to open his eyes.

"I'm here," she assured him, squeezing his hand again.

His eyes fluttered open and after blinking a few times, he locked onto her face and smiled.

"I could get used to you being the first thing I see whenever I wake up," he murmured sluggishly.

Lisbon couldn't help the tiny skip her heart made at his comment even though she knew he was too drugged up to really know what he was saying.

"Oh please, you'd be sick of my face within a week the amount you sleep," she replied lightly, unable to keep the answering smile from her own lips.

"Never," he refuted softly, his eyes not leaving her face.

Her smile faded as they stared at each other for a few moments until a soft clearing of a throat broke the lightly charged silence. Lisbon blinked then looked over at the nurse questioningly.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," the woman began apologetically, "but I have to ask Mr. Jane some questions and then we need to get him up to ICU."

Lisbon nodded her understanding but it was with great reluctance that she let go of his hand and took a step back. She listened idly to their conversation and once they'd finished, the nurse turned to Lisbon and proposed, "If you leave your number on my desk, I'll give you a call as soon as he's settled in ICU."

"Thank you," Lisbon replied sincerely before looking back at Jane and adding, "I'm going to go and check in with Cho and the rest of the team."

He nodded and she caught him staring wistfully after her as she gave him one last glance before leaving the room. Ignoring the urge to go back and plant herself resolutely by his side, she went over to the nurses' desk and left her a note with her name and number on it then went out and joined Van Pelt in the hallway.

She knew he still a long way to go but finally, for the first time in hours, she felt the numbness that had settled around her like a thick protective fog begin to lift.

END CHAPTER 11


	12. Chapter 12

Jane sat up in bed, arms folded, a slight frown marring his handsome face as he tried to quell the uncharacteristic feeling of anxiousness that had claimed his body. Lisbon was due to arrive at any moment and there were things they needed to talk about. Not just about the case, but personal things too.

Like those three little words she'd uttered, the one's that had kept him going, had given him strength and now kept swirling around and around in his head refusing to be ignored. He'd always wanted her to give him some clearer idea of how she felt about him and now he had it in spades...and then some.

But her unexpected declaration had thrown him into an emotional quandary that he hadn't anticipated. It needed to be addressed and for once in his life he really had no idea what to say. His head seemed to be in constant conflict with his heart over which direction he wanted to take.

Logically, he knew that he should tell her that there could be nothing between them while Red John was still alive; better yet, he was tempted to just ignore the whole thing. He was pretty certain that Lisbon wouldn't broach the subject, which suited him down to the ground. He just couldn't take the chance that if their love was made public, the killer might hurt her to get to him.

But emotionally…emotionally, he wanted to know what it'd feel like to kiss her without restraint, to tell her how he much he loved her and had done for years, to take her in his arms and watch the rosy glow come to her cheeks as he whispered all the things that he loved so much about her, to simply hold her hand, to feel her move beneath him…to finally give in to his incredible yearning for her and just be goddamn happy for the first time in over a decade.

He unfolded his arms and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Completely ignoring everything was fast becoming the best option. If he started talking, he was worried that his heart might just win out for once in his life.

Of course, the fact that something Cho had said to him that morning kept playing on his mind and was no doubt affecting his judgement wasn't exactly helping the situation either.

For days it seemed as though he'd been dipping in and out of consciousness. In reality, he learned it had only been two but each time he awoken, it had been to find Lisbon sat patiently nearby with a ready smile and soothing words. He hadn't been able to say much in return, just a murmuring of her name before he'd succumb to oblivion again. He'd known what was happening but for once, his body had refused to do what his brain wanted. It had been frustrating to say the least.

So it was with great relief to finally wake up feeling more like his old self earlier that morning, but instead of being greeted by Lisbon's smiling countenance, his gaze had clashed with Cho's stoic expression.

"Where's Lisbon?" he'd asked, his voice raspy from lack of use and a constant stream of oxygen.

"The doctor said you were out of danger so we finally persuaded her to go and get checked out herself," he'd replied curtly. "She was in a real knock down fight with Newland's son. No broken ribs but she's sore. I told her I'd sit with you while she got some rest. How are you feeling?"

"Better," he'd replied, more concerned about Lisbon than his own state. "Could use a drink."

Cho had poured him out some water then helped him sit up so that he could have a few sips. He'd nodded his thanks then the Agent had sat down again and looked at him.

"Boss said you distracted them," he'd commented impassively. "It gave her a fighting chance she wouldn't have had and bought enough time for Van Pelt to get there and kill the bastard. Good job. She'd be dead otherwise."

He still felt as physically sick from that comment now as he had when Cho had uttered the words. Lisbon. Dead. He gave an involuntary shudder and glanced at the doorway. Still no sign of her but she'd arrive soon, he just knew it.

He gazed down at his sheets and stared at the bright streaks of sunlight that cut sharp lines of relief across his bed from where they filtered in through the half closed blinds. His side was beginning to ache a little but he didn't want any more painkillers until he'd spoken to Lisbon. They dulled his senses and he needed to have his wits about him.

He gave a little sigh then let his head drop back against the pillow and closed his eyes as he thought back to the rest of his conversation with Cho. The Agent had brought him up to date on the case and scarily, but sadly not that unusually, there was no real motive behind the senseless killings.

They were no acts of revenge nor were they even some kind of retribution against people who they'd perceived were guilty of some crime with which they'd gotten away.

No. These callous murders were borne out of a tragic accident that had been the catalyst for Zack to recognise and eventually seek to sate his darker side.

Apparently, a little over ten months earlier, Newland, Ben, Wade and Zack had all been out illegally hunting in one of the more remote parts of the Redwood National Park. Being good friends with a number of the rangers, the sheriff had known the areas they mainly patrolled and had no worry of being caught.

Unfortunately, a man by the name of Anthony Grange had also decided to take a hike in the same area. Catching sight of movement though the trees, Zack had taken a shot. It wasn't until they heard the man cry out that they had all realised what had happened.

When they reached the hiker, he was already dead. Knowing the amount of trouble they were in and not wanting to tarnish his career, Newland had made them bury the body in a shallow grave near to the Kinsella cabin. He'd sworn them all to secrecy and carried on life as normal. As Sheriff he glossed over the missing persons report that came in and put the whole thing behind him.

For a few months all was fine until Newland had received a call from his brother saying that Zack had done it again...on purpose this time. He had taken Wade hunting on their own but it wasn't deer Zack was after. He'd gotten a rush out of killing a man and he'd wanted to experience that feeling again.

His father had been livid but because of the initial cover up, Zack knew that there was nothing the sheriff or the others could do unless they wanted to go down with him. After that it had escalated until he finally abducted the first victim that the CBI were aware of, Lance Williamson.

Zack had gotten cockier, revelling in the fact that he couldn't be caught and had merely dumped Williamson's body without telling his father where. Hicks had been the coroner assigned to the case once the body had been found and Newland had wasted no time in threatening him that he would let everyone know of a time he'd caught him performing a certain act on one of the corpses in his charge if he found anything that incriminated his son.

Newland had admitted that Zack seemed to get a kick out of making it harder and harder for him to cover up the killings. Ripped clothes, knife wounds, he even wore one of the victim's baseball caps around town for a few days. It had been as though he'd wanted to see just how far his father would go in order to help him.

As the bodies kept coming, his deputy's began to question why Federal forces weren't being called in and Newland was eventually forced to contact the CBI in order to alleviate any suspicion. Having controlled everything for so long, he had mistakenly thought that he would be able to continue to do so while they were there. He'd assumed that they'd only be around for a few days then they'd go, case unsolved. Unfortunately for him, his son's recklessness had proved to be their undoing.

There were a total of eight further bodies classed as missing persons that the police were uncovering near the Kinsella cabin. Zack had been a busy boy.

Cho had continued to sit with Jane for just over an hour after he'd finished telling him everything before he'd finally made his excuses and left. He'd wanted to grab some breakfast before going to pick up Hicks and take him in for questioning. Jane suspected that despite it outwardly looking as though Newland had fabricated a lie in order to blackmail the coroner into helping him with the cover up, it wouldn't surprise him if there were some truth lurking behind the repulsive accusation. There was something about Hicks that just didn't sit well with the consultant.

The sound of familiar footsteps approaching his room broke into his thoughts and he opened his eyes to stare expectantly at the door. Ever since the time he was temporarily blinded, he'd always been able to tune in the sounds that were uniquely Lisbon, especially if his eyes were closed. It had helped a lot when he was on his couch at the CBI; he could track her movements, even gauge her mood sometimes. He heard her talking to someone and then, there she was, standing in the doorway, a huge smile lighting her face as she saw him and finished her call.

"OK, thanks, Cho. Keep me informed." Lisbon shut her phone with a snap then stared at him a few seconds more before walking slowly into the room. She was pleased to see the colour had finally returned to his face and the last lingering worries she had about his recovery began to fade away as she told him in a relieved tone, "You're looking alot better."

The small smile that had automatically appeared upon his face at seeing her bloomed into a full on grin at her words. She swore her heart just stopped at the sight. There had been times over the past couple of days that she'd been terrified she'd never see it again.

"Feeling it too," he replied as his gaze swept over her form before settling back on her glowing countenance.

He could just make out the angry purple bruising above her eye and across her jaw under the carefully applied make-up she wore and his smile faltered a little as Cho's words came back to haunt him again.

'She'd be dead...'

"The doctor's really pleased with your progress and said that you should be out in a few days," she told him as she came to a halt by his bed.

"Good to know," he replied, seemingly unable to take his eyes off of her.

She gazed back at him then her smile faded a little as she pulled out a small object from the back pocket of her jeans and held it out to him. He looked at it for a moment then reached out and took the precious notebook from her hand. Their fingers touched briefly and he welcomed the usual spark of awareness that accompanied such a casual act.

"I told you I'd give it back to you," she said softly.

"You did," he agreed equally quietly. "Thank you." They stared at each other for a few moments, each thinking back to that emotive time before he broke eye contact and looked down at the unassuming black book.

He ran his thumb over the soft leather cover knowing that the book and the elusive serial killer behind it was the very reason that their feelings for each other had remained hidden, unspoken for so very long. Even when Red John had asked for her death, her head, it still hadn't given him the courage to stand behind his own verbal declaration. Almost as though if he took it back it would somehow mean it wasn't true.

He was such a fool.

"Aren't you going to check that I haven't ripped out any pages or drawn little pictures in there somewhere?" she asked, breaking into his thoughts.

He heard the humour lacing her tone and couldn't help but look up at her and smile.

"I trust you, remember?" he reminded her lightly.

"Really? Best not look at the back page then," she quipped dryly, eliciting a seldom- heard chuckle from the man. It made her feel good to make him laugh. He indulged in the act so rarely. She sat down on the chair next to his bed and tried to contain the tiny grunt of pain the movement caused to her side. Zack's knee's had dug into her ribs when he'd pinned her to the ground and the area was still a little tender.

"Cho told me you had a close call," Jane commented soberly. She looked up at him and clearly saw the concern in his eyes. "Apparently I have Grace to thank for your still being here."

Lisbon looked away briefly and nodded. "It was a hell of a shot," she admitted quietly.

He gazed at her and felt a chill steal through his veins as he took in her sombre expression. A small frown creased his brow as the stark reality of what he could have lost hit home hard.

Was he really willing to keep turning his back on this? On her? To keep ignoring what he felt? What they both felt? What if another ten years were to pass them by? Could he honestly sit idly by, each day fearing that that would be the day she either found someone else or be cruelly snatched away from him by some bust gone bad?

Not only that, but what about his own mortality and how it would affect her if something were to happen to him? Knowing how she felt about him changed things. He was surprised at the realisation but it was true just the same. He no longer had the same death wish compulsion when he thought about apprehending Red John. In its place was an urge to be cautious, to live…and it was all down to her.

He should have been happy at his little revelation, but he wasn't. The guilt that drove him to catch the killer of his family was far too ingrained within him to allow him the respite he craved. If possible it weighed even heavier upon him for even daring to contemplate giving up the hunt. Like he was betraying his wife and child, like he'd never cared for them at all.

He stared down at the book again and felt a sudden urge to just throw the damn thing across the room. He was so sick of it all. He'd become such a slave to his obsession with Red John that even now, after everything they'd been through, what they both could've lost, there was still that part of him that refused to let it go. Especially when he was so tantalisingly near to finally identifying the murderer.

"Are you OK? Is your side hurting?" Lisbon asked, her worried tone crashing into his thoughts.

He looked up and blinked. She was stood at his bedside now, her concerned gaze running over his form as if trying to locate the unseen pain. There she was, coming to his rescue again. Always ready to help him, even when he didn't need it…and God help her but he loved her for it. So much.

But even that wasn't enough to deter him from his chosen path. The depth of his love now couldn't absolve him from the depth of his sins then. He wanted, needed to be free of Red John before he could be with her wholly. And he would, whatever the cost to their relationship now. And he knew it would be high.

Letting the book drop onto the covers, he suddenly reached out and took her hand in a firm grip then tugged her even nearer to the bed. Just one last touch. Lisbon glanced down at their joined hands in surprise then looked up at him with a faintly quizzical expression but he noted, with some satisfaction, that she made no attempt to remove herself from his hold. Not yet at least. He stared at her for a few moments, just drawing comfort from their connection, hating himself for what he was to do next.

"That thing you said…just before you kissed me," he broached in a low voice, echoing her own words from many months before.

He saw the heat of embarrassment invade her cheeks and felt her tense as her eyes widened slightly then skittered away from his. He tightened his grip about her hand fearing that she was about to bolt and only relaxed again when she returned her gaze to his, defiance burning bright in her eyes.

"What about it?" she challenged.

Unlike him, Lisbon wasn't about to retract her words. He mentally applauded her bravery and only wished he had enough of his own to cast off the shackles in his mind that kept him from breaking free of the half life he was living.

"We can't act on it," he told her flatly, feeling his heart sink as he saw her expression turn first cold then blank as she withdrew her hand from his grasp. Feeling bereft at the loss of contact, he continued, "As much as I want to and as much as I feel the same…we just can't. Not while Red John is still around. If he knew for certain how I feel about you…how we feel about each other…it's just not safe. I can't take that chance. If anything happened to you too…I couldn't live with myself. I'm sorry, Teresa."

Seconds ticked by as silence stretched out between them. It wasn't his most elegant of speeches but he found the words weren't quite so easy to say as he'd expected. Jane tried to get a read on her but whatever she was feeling, she was keeping it well hidden behind a mask of apparent indifference.

"Okay," she finally said with a shrug.

Contrarily, her seemingly happy compliance stung the consultant a little and he felt a rush of sudden irritation. He'd expected her to be angry with him at the very least, hurt even, but this ready acceptance bothered him. Maybe she hadn't meant what she'd said after all. Maybe it was just something to say to make him feel better in what she thought were his last moments. A pity declaration. How insulting.

"Okay?" he repeated incredulously, looking at her as though she'd sprouted another head. He let out a derisive snort and added a trifle petulantly, "I have to say I'm a little surprised that you agreed so readily, Lisbon."

"Oh, I don't," she assured him in a lightly mocking tone. "I think it's all bull. Red John's not stupid. I've put my ass and my career on the line for you far too many times to count over the years and he told you to kill me just a few months ago. I'd say it's pretty obvious that he knows how we feel about each other so it's a little late for keeping a low profile now."

"Lisbon…" he began, only to stop when she cut him off, her voice carrying more heat than it had previously.

"You know what I think? I think all that crap you just came out with is only an excuse to protect yourself, not me. You want to be able to go and catch Red John any way you can and you think that by not committing yourself to me, you can do whatever or whomever you want to get that information and it'll be fine…but it's not, Jane. It'd still be wrong in my eyes, I want you to know that."

The blond stared at her as she blew all his poorly constructed reasoning out of the water. He wanted to refute everything she'd said but he didn't. If that's how she chose to take his words then so be it. He knew part of what she'd said alluded to Lorelei and it pained him to know that she thought he'd go down that particular road with her again. But why wouldn't she? Hadn't he told her on more than one occasion that he'd do anything to get Red John? Hell, hadn't he already proved that?

Her phone rang suddenly and she let out a small huff of annoyance before answering it with a curt, "Yes?" She listened to the person on the other end of the line, a slight frown forming on her face before she said, "Okay, I'm on my way."

"Cho?" he queried as she ended the call and put her phone back in her pocket.

"Yeah. He and Rigsby just found Hicks dead at his home. Hanged himself," she explained with a sigh. "I have to go."

Jane nodded and watched her walk swiftly away. He waited until she was almost to the door then called out, "Lisbon."

She stopped and looked back at him but when he wasn't immediately forthcoming she snapped impatiently, "What?"

"I'm sorry if I hurt you," he told her quietly.

Her expression softened for a fleeting second before hardening again as she let out a derisive snort and said, "Don't be; I'm used to it by now." She turned away and took a couple of steps before looking back and adding tersely, "I'm probably going to be caught up with the case the rest of the day. I'll see if Grace can visit you this evening."

Jane lay and stared at the door long after she'd left. It seemed they had come full circle and he was standing on the precipice of yet another great gaping chasm in their tumultuous relationship once again.

The problem was, as much as he hated to admit it, he didn't think that even he could build a bridge big enough to close this particular gap.

END CHAPTER 12


	13. Epilogue

Jane sat and stared blankly out of the attic window not even seeing the Sacramento skyline. A cup of tea, long since grown cold, remained untouched on the desk in front of him. Next to the bright blue china sat his notebook. It was turned to the back where an inked drawing of a tree took up most of the last page. It was a bittersweet image, conjuring up even more bittersweet memories.

Lisbon had drawn it. Just like she'd joked she had right before he'd gone and ruined everything. Maybe permanently. He certainly hoped not, but she was proving tougher talk around then he'd envisaged. Her demeanour was professional, rigidly so, even now after the seven weeks since their return to Sacramento.

A cold tolerance bordering upon indifference is what she subjected him to every single damn day. He hated it. Loathed it. Tried every trick he knew to try and snap her out of it, but nothing had worked. Not even come close. She was determined to remain firmly encamped on her side of the seemingly unassailable abyss of their broken relationship.

Sometimes he wished he could just take everything back. Rewind time and say to hell with Red John. It had been on the tip of his tongue on countless occasions…but he knew he couldn't, just as he also knew he wouldn't even if he could. It was for the best in the long run. What was done, was done and he had no choice but to live with it.

At least they'd caught the bad guys. Much good it'd do. Newland would probably be out in a few years as he hadn't actually killed anyone…so he said. It was easy to blame other people when they were dead and there was no actual physical evidence to refute his story. It was annoying to say the least but he really hadn't expected anything else. He knew it had frustrated the team, especially Lisbon, but for all their years working within the system, Jane still understood the law better than they did and he knew that, sometimes, it just wasn't good enough.

His gaze fell upon the doodle and a soft smile touched his lips. Lifting a hand, he ran a finger down the page, feeling the indentation of the lines left by the nib of the pen. It was basic at best, but to him it was much better than any of those paintings by famous artists. They still had a price attached to them whereas this…this was priceless, simply because she'd drawn it. For him.

Impulsively, he ripped the page out of the book and carefully folded it up. Taking out his wallet, he flipped it open then deftly placed the paper inside one of the card slots, making sure he wouldn't lose it. Closing it up, he put it back into his pocket, shut the notebook and stood up.

Turning around, he stared at the intricate suspect board he'd made after Lorelei had told him he'd met Red John almost as if he'd forgotten about its very existence. He hadn't of course, but the burning desire for revenge that had once driven him on, day after day and night after night had dimmed somewhat ever since Lisbon's declaration.

Now, in its place a new longing was forming, was shaping his actions. One that was so unexpected that it had left him reeling a little. For the first time since his wife and child's deaths, he saw a real possibility for a future. With Lisbon.

Naturally these feelings had been a shock. He'd been so certain that nothing or no-one could ever lead him away from his chosen path of self-destruction, but these past few weeks had proved him wrong.

Not that he'd given up without a fight. No; he'd tried to find that craving within himself again, but although the guilt was still there, the horror, the devastation of that night long ago, he found to his consternation that he now also had a very real, almost compulsive yearning to hear Lisbon utter those three little words again.

Hell, he'd take a smile, mild amusement even…anything but the unremitting freeze to which she was currently subjecting him. He really hadn't been prepared for how much the situation would affect him.

He'd thought was so in control of his feelings that nothing could penetrate his carefully protected façade, but ever since she'd walked out of his hospital room, he'd felt such remorse that it was almost a physical ache. It was unlike him to have regrets, but that day, that hour, was definitely one of them.

He let out an abrupt sigh then took a couple of steps closer to the board, his gaze running over the familiar timelines and photos. Maybe his real problem was that he still hadn't heard from Lorelei. He'd expected to have had some contact by now and the silence was making him antsy. Making him doubt himself and his decisions. Once she just called or sent word to him, everything would go back to normal; his normal at least.

Still, it bothered him that he'd allowed himself to be sidetracked like that. When Lisbon's feelings had remained her own, it had been far easier to ignore them. Now, he recognised that he was fast becoming as fixated with them as he was catching Red John…more so even.

It was disconcerting to say the least.

There was a sudden knocking at the door and he looked over at it in surprise. He hadn't heard anyone approach. He frowned. Yet more proof that he wasn't as on his game as he should be.

"Who is it?" he called out.

"It's me," came Lisbon's sober voice.

His frown deepened at her tone. It wasn't as curt as it had been the past few weeks. She also hadn't been up to the attic since their return, so what could have happened that it had prompted her unexpected visit now?

Naturally, his first thought was Red John. He strode over to the door and slid it back enough that he could poke his head through the gap. He felt a cold dread begin to trickle through his veins as he took in her sombre expression.

"What's up?" he asked quietly.

She eyed him with some trepidation and seemed to be reluctant to reply but then she suddenly took a deep breath and revealed, "Sac PD just called. It's Lorelei. She's killed someone. A woman called Julia Howard. I'm going down to the station to view some footage they recovered from the nanny cam in her house."

Jane felt as though all the air had gone out of his body. There had to be some mistake, hadn't there? Surely it couldn't be Lorelei? Someone who looked like her, possibly, but not really her. She was supposed to contact him; that was the plan, not murder someone.

"You coming?" Lisbon asked, cutting in on his internal rambling.

He stared at her blankly for a moment trying to gather in his thoughts then nodded.

"Let me just get my notebook," he said absently as he turned and went back into the attic.

He went over to his desk and picked up the book then put it into his jacket pocket. Hearing a small gasp from behind, he belatedly realised that he'd left the door open and turned to see Lisbon standing in front of the suspect board he'd made up. Due to their estrangement, she'd hadn't seen it yet.

"Oh my God," she breathed as she stared at all the collated information in shock. "You've really put a lot of thought into this."

"That's because I really want to catch him, Lisbon," he replied pointedly as he took a step towards her. He studied her averted features for a moment and felt a rush of longing crash through his body. Before he even knew what he was saying he added in a softer tone, "Even more so now that I know how you feel."

She stiffened as his words hung in the air between them, then she slowly turned and looked at him with a faint frown. "Don't do that," she told him after a pause.

"Do what?" he challenged.

"Don't make this out to be anything other than your need for revenge," she replied with a trace of bitterness.

"But what if it isn't anymore?" he countered, taking another step towards her. "Maybe I've realised that there's a future for me…for us."

Her eyes narrowed and she shook her head. "Stop it," she ordered tightly. "Stop trying to play me because Lorelei is back on the scene. A few empty words aren't going to make me agree to whatever it is you have planned."

That smarted.

"Oh please, if I wanted to play you, do you honestly think that I'd pretend that I'd changed?" he retorted in frustration. "What's the point when I know you'd never believe me? That's not how the con works and you know it."

She looked a little taken aback at his words but it wasn't until a light blush coated her cheeks that he allowed himself to relax a little.

"So…what are you saying?" she asked somewhat hesitantly.

A slight smile touched his lips and took another step closer. Near but not quite touching…yet.

"I'm saying that when this is all over, once we've caught Red John, I'd like to be with you," he told her gently before suddenly shrugging and adding in a lighter tone, "Or if you can't agree to that considering what an ass I've been, then could you at least tell me that there's a possibility of being with you?"

He hoped she understood what else he was telling her. That he didn't have a death wish anymore. That he had her to live for.

She held his gaze for a few moments, a mixture of uncertainty, hurt and hope shining bright in her eyes then she looked down with a sigh before saying, "I'm not waiting another ten years, Jane. Not even for you."

His stomach lurched a little but his kept his tone light as he asked, "Is that a yes…or a no?"

She held his gaze for a moment then her mouth quirked up into a ghost of a smile. "That's a definite maybe," she replied.

Jane felt his stomach settle back into place and he instinctively reached out to touch her on the arm. His fingers slowly slid downwards, little shocks of awareness shooting through his system at every brush of contact until he encircled her hand and squeezed it gently. After weeks of not being allowed to engage in even the barest of physical contact, it felt like coming home.

"I can live with that," he whispered, staring deep into her eyes.

As she gazed back at him, Jane knew that it would have been so easy to take that final step, to move into each other's arms and seal their agreement in a more satisfying way…but not now. It wasn't their time; soon though.

As if coming to the same realisation, Lisbon suddenly cleared her throat then looked away as she pulled her hand from his and took a step backwards. Jane resisted the urge to grasp her tighter and relinquished his hold as soon he felt her move.

Blushing furiously, she glanced up at him then nodded towards the door. "We'd better get going."

Jane nodded and his expression turned serious as his brain suddenly came into sharper focus than it had in weeks.

Finding some resolution, some hope, with Lisbon felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he could function properly once more. Which was good, because there was more at stake than ever before. Both his past and his future depended heavily on Lorelei and what information he could garner from her. She certainly hadn't come back in the way he'd expected but he be damned if he was going to let this opportunity slide. He would stop at nothing now.

He followed Lisbon out of the attic with a new sense of purpose. This was the beginning of the final chapter, he just knew it, and for the first time since his family had been murdered he could finally see beyond the last page.

**THE END**


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